A Girl's Guide to Forbidden Romance
by FarrahB
Summary: 10 years after her father's disappearance, Bella recovers a journal that once belonged to her late grandfather. The journal is full of strange entries and a secret that will change her life forever. A story about a mysterious birthday boy, a forbidden cave and a brave girl trying to uncover the truth. AH/AU
1. Mysterious Birthday Boy

**A/N: This story takes place in an alternate universe and is completely different from Pink Mugs.  
**

**Disclaimer: I do NOT own any of the Twilight characters.  
**

**The plot, however, is all mine.  
**

**Rated M for language.  
**

* * *

'God, orientation week was epically boring.'

"Yes indeed." I raised my big-ass soda bottle, taking a huge gulp in celebration.

We were having our monthly, late night –s'more fest- on the beach.

January, my _bestest_ friend in this ever expanding universe handed me the delicious treat before stuffing a marshmallow in her mouth.

'Jan, babe, stay away from the flames.' _Leo_, her boyfriend warned, having witnessed last year's bonfire disaster in the form of her hair catching on fire.

Yikes!

Don't remind me.

'What? I _am_ being extra careful, ok? Bella, tell us one of your grandpa inspired stories. Pleaaaase, with a cherry on top?'

'Yeah. You're great at storytelling, B.' Leo smiled in encouragement.

"No. I am going to go for a short stroll and let you two play a round of tonsil hockey." I replied, getting up from my beloved spot on their make-out blanket.

I was getting tired of being _the_ third wheel all the time.

Seriously. It's no fun.

Ah well, it's my fault for spending my weekends cooped up in the library, reading about elf knights and whatnot.

Not to mention all those tall, handsome men in armor.

Yummy.

_Dear grandpa, what have you done to me?_

He was the reason I wanted to major in literature. Too bad he's not with us anymore. May he rest in peace.

Grandpa was crazy, according to the _familia_.

He always spoke of another world, governed by supernatural beings. They lived in a supposedly unseen realm that can only be accessed using portals.

_Hidde_n portals.

My poor grandpa spent his final days in a retirement home since no one wanted to take care of an allegedly _senile_ man.

I was twelve years-old when he passed away but his stories were engraved in my mind and I could easily recall them whenever I wanted.

His journals were locked away in our basement, and I wasn't allowed anywhere near them, thanks to _robo-mom_.

My dearest mother and renowned fashion designer Juliana Swan literally turns ash-white at the mere mention of those journals.

God only knows what's in them.

I've tried on more than one occasion to unlock the stupid safe but it only made her more angry and distant towards me.

Yeah, we don't get along that well.

My work-obsessed mother who didn't even bother to call her own daughter to wish her luck on her first day at _U-Dub_ was in Milan for Fashion Week.

Fashion Week my _ass_.

Anyways, so…that's how I ended up on the beach at two in the morning, getting high on Coke _fucking_ Cola.

Excuse my French, but I'm really pissed.

My sandy feet led me farther away from my friends and the warmth of the fire. The lulling sound of the ocean waves licking at the shore made me want to go skinny dipping.

There must be something wrong with me because I had _zero_ fear of the dark.

I walked further down the beach where I could finally see the _Forbidden Cave_ in the distance. No one exactly knew why it was forbidden but those who tried to swim towards the entrance got sucked into a whirlpool and drowned.

The land surrounding the cave was steep and rocky with a huge –no trespassing- sign erected by the mayor himself.

Did I mention that mom also 'prohibited' me from hanging out here after sunset?

Her parental rules didn't mean shit to me anymore since she's never home.

I was free to do whatever I wanted, hence the _skinny dipping_.

"Okay, let's do this!" I shouted, saluting the full moon.

Its light made it easier for me to undress and dip my toes in the water.

It wasn't too cold so I daringly ventured further into the deep end, squealing with every wave that threatened to pull me under.

It was a crazy thing to do but I was so hyper and skinny dipping was on my _bucket list_. Haha.

I sang Rihanna's _Only Girl in the World_ at the top of my lungs just for kicks and splashed my arms around to create a bit of _Bella _atmosphere.

My epic singing was rudely interrupted by the incessant barking of a dog.

I glanced towards the shore to find a white, Siberian husky sniffing my clothes.

So not cool.

"Hey! Doggy!" I yelled, my eyes widening in horror as he snatched both my shirt _and_ bra before bolting down the beach.

"Oh no you don't!"

That up-to-no-good ball of fur had the audacity to look back and taunt me with his cobalt blue eyes like we were playing a game of fetch.

I was just about to jump out of the water and chase after him when this guy comes running from the opposite direction like one of those hunky _Baywatch_ lifeguards.

My hands flew up to cover my breasts as I watched him call out the husky's name.

'Alpha!'

The white dog froze mid-sprint and turned around with my bra strap dangling from his jaw.

_Ugh!_

The tall man with the sexy broad shoulders crossed his impressive arms as _Alpha_ hung his head down and dropped my stuff directly in front of his owner's feet.

My neon pink bra was like a beacon in the night.

I have never been more embarrassed in my entire life!

'Sorry about that.' McHottie apologized.

His voice was deep…like phone-sex operator _deep_.

The guy obviously had manners since he immediately averted his gaze the moment he realized I was topless.

Nice.

Alpha barked at me as I waded my way back to the shore and mystery guy shushed him, dragging him by the collar towards a giant boulder.

"Oh my God." I crawled over to my clothes and got dressed in record speed, almost ripping my skinny jeans in the process.

They clung to me like second skin, but that wasn't my only problem.

I was _wet_ and possibly reeking of dog-drool while a dark, russet skinned version of _Thor _reprimanded his dog in a language I didn't understand.

Alpha's whines made me soften up, feeling all guilty on his behalf.

"Umm...please don't do that. I'm sure he learned his lesson by now."

Mr. tall and handsome turned to look at me for the very first time, his big, midnight eyes drinking me in from head to toe.

Up-close, his features were strikingly gorgeous; a combination of good genes and brilliant bone structure rolled into one fine specimen.

'He's not supposed to follow me here, or steal your garments for that matter.' He remarked.

Speaking of garments, did I mention that he was wearing a black, band collar shirt under a grey lapel jacket? The top three buttons were left undone to reveal a smooth patch of skin.

_Somebody_ either waxed or has a naturally hairless chest.

Double Yum.

"It's no biggie, really."

Alpha suddenly rose on his hind legs and licked my hand, nuzzling his snout into my palm.

I laughed, petting him in return. He was too adorable for his own good.

'I don't mean to pry, but what are you doing out here, all alone?'

"Oh I'm not alone; my friends are further down the beach."

His mouth quirked up on one side, drawing my attention to a small crescent-shaped mole above his upper lip.

_Whoa…__Déjà vu_

It was like I'd seen it before. No kidding.

'Is this a hobby of yours, swimming in the nude?' He smirked.

I cursed my _Rapunze_l long hair for wetting the hell out of my shirt, torn between answering him and hiding behind that massive boulder in mortification.

"Umm...NO." I huffed. "What's a guy like _you _doing out here, in an Armani jacket and dress pants no less?"

Was there an Ivy League party somewhere? 'Cause he sure gave off that unmistakable –old money- vibe.

'How'd you know it was Armani?' He cocked an eyebrow, seemingly amused.

It was a miracle that I wasn't stuttering or nervously babbling in his presence.

"Identifying labels is a talent of mine. Ask my best friend, she'll vouch for me."

'I see…and to answer your question, tonight was my birthday so I came here to clear my head for a while.'

Huh...I thought hunky men celebrated their B-day at a strip club.

Who the _fudge_ was he clearing his head for?

He should be drunk right now.

Hell, if I was legal, I'd be drunk right now instead of sipping on soda.

"Oh…happy birthday! How old are you?"

'Twenty two. How about you?'

January chose this moment in history to call out my name, her panicked voice reaching my ear and getting Alpha all riled up and barking once more.

'BELLA!'

Mystery guy crouched down to attach a silver leash onto the husky's collar, affording me another glimpse of his silky, black ponytail.

_Gah_! I totally had a thing for men with long hair.

_Please kill me now._

'Bella!'

"Shit. I…umm…gotta go." I took a step back, ogling him for the last time.

'Is that your name? _Bella_?' He frowned, rising to his full, impressive height.

I should've been intimidated but I wasn't.

"Yeah, it's short for Isabella. What's _your_ name?"

His expressive eyes widened briefly before they flickered down to my wet shirt. I didn't realize that the wind had picked up until he shrugged off his jacket and carefully draped it around my shoulders.

'Jacob. My name is _Jacob_.' He repeated glumly.

I felt bad for the B-day boy but also shocked that he'd offered me his jacket.

"It was nice meeting you, Jacob."

'_Bella Swan, get your ass back here!_' January shouted for the umpteenth time.

"Thanks for the jacket."

'Sure…sure.'

I patted Alpha's head in goodbye and jogged towards the bonfire.

_Holy muffin! I gotta go skinny dipping more often._


	2. B's Just Not That Into You

**A/N: Thanks so much for your reviews and alerts! I know some of you are wondering if Jacob is a wolf. You will find out in due time ;D**

**Disclaimer: I do NOT own any of the Twilight characters.  
**

**The plot, however, is all mine.  
**

******Rated M for language**

* * *

Saturday night was a disaster of epic proportions.

Taylor Swift should write a song about it.

My mother was supposed to be in Milan, minding her own business, not hiring her _desperate housewife_ of a neighbor to keep an eye on me!

Mrs. Yvonne was a pain in my butt.

Not only that, but her son William asked me out on a date and I was forced to say –yes- so she wouldn't tell my dear mother that I snuck out of the house to go to the beach the night before.

_Ugh!_

Talk about major blackmail.

I did not like William. Not one bit.

He had a snotty attitude just because he went to _Princeton_.

You should see the way he drove his Porsche around town, making sure to gun the engine every time he's at a traffic light.

He was pathetic.

Anyways, that's how I found myself sitting across from him at a posh Italian restaurant while BBM-ing January every five seconds.

'Listen, Bella. I know you're _not_ into me, but could you at least pretend to be interested in what I'm saying?'

His whiny, irritated tone sounded a lot more interesting than his earlier one-man show about dear old _Princeton. _

"You asked for a date, William, not a shrink." I replied.

'Are you implying that I need to pay you to listen?' His Ken Doll features contorted with disbelief, and I was tempted to snap a photo of him and send it to Jan.

"Chillax _Ken…err_…I mean, Will. Would you rather I do this?" I leaned forward and twirled my straight hair, acting like the attentive robot he wanted me to be.

"Bella. Hearts. Princeton. Bella. Hearts. Princeton."

He huffed and puffed, loosening his silk tie before asking for the check.

I managed to order the most expensive appetizer, main course and dessert on the menu to make him pay for being so ridiculously self-centered.

'You are incorrigible, Isabella Swan.' He scowled.

"Why, thank you, Mr. Trust Fund." I retorted before getting back to my beloved BlackBerry.

* * *

A few minutes later, William ditched me in the restaurant's parking lot, muttering _ice queen_ and _bitchella_ as he slid into the driver's seat.

I flipped him the bird as he pulled out of the parking, speeding off like the place was on fire.

Jerk.

A young valet attendant flagged a taxi for me and I returned home feeling more pissed than ever.

I ended up channeling this pissed off energy into opening my mother's sacred safe.

Two hours and ten failed attempts later, I dragged my sorry ass up to my bedroom, wondering how Blair Waldorf knew how to decode secret stuff. I bet she'd open that safe in sixty seconds tops.

I was totally bummed out and staring at Jacob's jacket wasn't helping either.

It was laying there on my unmade bed, smelling divine.

Yes, I sniffed it all night and he had good taste in perfume or cologne or whatever….

In my hurry to get back to the bonfire, I'd forgotten to ask about his current residence or home address so I could return it to him.

Hell, I didn't even know his last name!

I placed my iPod in its Hello Kitty dock and danced around the room to Sugababes' **Red Dress**.

Music was my therapy.

I had a playlist for all of my twisted teenage moods.

Only one list was still in the works.

The –_horny for Jacob_- playlist.

* * *

The rest of the week came and went in a flash.

The only silver lining about it was my creative writing course. Our professor was a nice man who encouraged us to tap into our imagination.

Lucky for him, I had an oil well for an imagination.

It was a blessing and a curse really, because I employed it during most of my other classes, causing my concentration levels to plummet. January had to literally smack me upside the head so I'd snap out of it during philosophy class.

She also brought to my attention that one of our fellow freshman students was checking me out while we were having lunch at the cafeteria.

"He's kinda cute." I observed, peering at him rather discreetly from behind the campus magazine.

'Bella, he's so your type. Don't deny it.' January implied, referring to his tall-ish figure.

Tall men were my weakness. My _kryptonite_.

"I'm not, but…"

'Oh my Gosh! You're still gaga over that Jacob dude, aren't you?'

"Gaga, as in Lady Gaga?" I joked in an attempt to hide my real answer.

There was no fooling January though.

'That's so typical of you.'

"Meaning?"

She sighed, snatching the magazine from my hand.

'Meaning that you'd rather _crush_ on a man you know NOTHING about rather than go out for coffee with -potential boyfriend material- over there.' She nodded her head towards tall-ish guy.

"First of all, how did you know he was interested? And what makes you think that I'm going to say no?"

'I just do.'

"Yeah right." I snorted. "Give me one explanation behind your reasoning."

'You have unrealistic notions of romance, Bella.'

"Say what?" I gaped at my best friend in shock.

'Don't act so surprised. Your ideal man exists in fictional books. He has to be tall, dark and handsome, a tortured soul, someone unattainable. This is REAL life, sweetie, not a romance novel.'

A tiny part of me knew that she was right, but the other part, well; it was offended by her words.

"Thanks for the reality check, Oprah." I scoffed before getting up and storming out of the crowded cafeteria.

'Bella!' Jan called out after me but my hormonal self needed a bit of space.

My feet led me to the only available sanctuary on campus.

The library.

* * *

Saturday night rolled around with a ton of missed calls and BBM messages from January.

I did appreciate her honesty, but I was at a stage in my life where I felt lost, confused and unloved by my own mother.

She called just to inform me that her trip to Milan had been extended another two weeks.

The house was silent and empty once our maid was gone for the day so I packed a flashlight in my bag, grabbed Jacob's jacket, then headed to the beach.

_Mrs. Yvonne can kiss my ass_

The beach was cold and the tide was high that night. I buttoned up my red cardigan while walking down the shore, listening to Maroon 5's **She Will Be Loved **on my iPod.

As I edged closer to the Forbidden Caves, this uneasy feeling crept over me. It was like someone was watching me from the shadows.

"Jacob?"

I hugged his jacket closer to my chest, praying for the moon to emerge from behind the cloudy sky.

The flashlight came in handy as I ventured past the -no trespassing- sign.

My Timberland boots shielded my feet from the jagged rocks as I carefully made my way down the steep path that led to the cave.

That's when the strangest thing happened.

I got chased by a _colony_ of bats!

They materialized out of nowhere.

No kidding.

The flapping of their wings assaulted my ears, causing me to make a run for it, dropping my flashlight in the process.

Their high-pitched squeaks terrified me to death as they basically hounded me out of the –no trespassing- area.

I screamed like a little girl, tripping over a protruding rock and landing face-first in the sand.

"Ouch…"

I shielded said face only to discover that the bats were gone.

Poof!

Nowhere in sight.

My imagination must've been running wild, playing tricks on me because moments later, a pair of strong arms were hoisting me up to my feet.

A familiar scent seeped into my nostrils as I turned around to find Jacob's dark eyes gazing down at me.

'Hey, are you alright?'

_Hello deep voice!_

"I am now."

_Shit, did I say that out loud?_

Yes, I did

He drank me in; just like he'd done the very first time we met.

'You shouldn't be out here, Bella.'

"Yeah well, I shouldn't be doing a lot of things…"

_Including, fantasizing about you._

Should I mention those bats? 'Cause I was starting to think they were figments of my imagination.

'Same here.' He surprisingly admitted.

"Why? What rules have you broken this week?"

He scratched his stubbly jaw, giving it some serious thought.

'Three so far…and you?'

"I lost count."

'Is that so?' He cocked an eyebrow, and I had to refrain from drooling.

He was wearing tight leather pants, paired with ankle boots and a long sleeved shirt.

No other guy could pull off that look.

Hell, he should be on a runway in Milan, NOT hiding in the shadows where no one could see him.

"Yes. I'm sorry…but you're way too stylish to be out here." I blurted out.

He smiled, digging both hands in his pockets.

'Yeah?'

I nodded. "Seriously, where did you come from anyway?"

'Does it matter?'

He held my gaze for what felt like ages, awaiting my answer.

"Not anymore. I um…just wanted to return your jacket, so here you go." I swallowed hard and handed him his Armani jacket.

Our fingers touched, skin on skin, and I felt a jolt of electricity travel up my spine.

Jacob must've felt it too because his gaze darted back and forth between his hand and my startled face.

'It must be static…' He suggested.

"Yeah, static…"

He draped the jacket over his forearm, keeping his other hand in his pocket. The leather was awakening my hormones, not to mention that bulge…

_Bad, **bad** Bella…_

'Thank you for the jacket.'

"You're welcome. Umm…how's Alpha by the way?"

'He's been wreaking havoc on his chew toy these days.'

"Poor chew toy." I laughed.

'Yeah...last year, his hobbies included chasing ducks, destroying the morning newspaper and barking at old men.'

"Wow. That's an impressive list of hobbies."

A sexy smile graced those sensuous lips, revealing a set of perfectly straight teeth and a tiny dimple too.

'I'm afraid the ducks and elderly are going to disagree with you on that one.'

My phone vibrated all of a sudden, totally interrupting the moment.

I fished it out of my bag and glanced at the screen.

It was a text from January:

**I'm at Ur door wiz Ur fav tootsie rolls & caramel popcorn. Plz let me in :( Me worried abt U. xx **

As much as I hated to admit it, a _girls night in_ with my BFF who usually spent her Saturday nights with her boyfriend was an opportunity I didn't want to miss.

She was the closest thing I ever had to a sister.

"Are you umm...staying out here all night?"

_No dumbo! He's probably got a bombshell girlfriend who is minutes away from showing up so you'd better scram before she arrives, ok? _

'Are you?' Jacob _ping-ponged_ the question back to me.

Haha.

Interesting.

"No, I have to go."

His smile vanished and in its place was this -hard to read- expression that made me want to hug him.

'Alpha wants to see you again.' He said with his gazed fixed on his jacket. For a second there, I thought he was having a quiet conversation with the thing.

_Silly Bella._

"He does?"

Jacob nodded, and his midnight eyes crept their way up to my face like a lazy turtle.

If I were a supermarket item, he would've taken his _sweet_ time scanning my boobs.

'_I_'d like to see you again.'

OH.

Oh my.

*swoon*

Instead of saying –_YES, me too or hell Yeah!_ - I resorted to blushing.

"When?"

'Next Saturday, down by the lifeguard tower.' He replied.

My phone vibrated again.

"Okay, I'll see you then."

Jacob grinned, and I found myself grinning back at him.

'Goodnight, Bella. Be safe.'

"You too." I waved before turning around and walking away.

* * *

**A/N: So, what do you think of mysterious Jacob? **

**You will find out more about him next chapter.  
**

**Reviews are highly appreciated ;)  
**


	3. Douchebags, Dads and Dark Strangers

**A/N: Thanks again for the reviews and alerts. I will reply as soon as I can.  
**

**Disclaimer: I do NOT own any of the Twilight characters.  
**

**The plot, however, is all mine.  
**

******Rated M for language.**

* * *

I was chillin' on the grass Monday morning, minding my own business, when Conrad _Idiot The third_ and his buddies decided to ruin the rest of my day.

We used to go to the same school and shared a few classes but that was _it_.

He rolled with a different crowd and hung out with William whose daddy had enough money to send him to Princeton.

Conrad, however, was not so lucky in the trust fund department.

'Hey, Bella. Can I have a word with you?'

His friends snickered, giving me the once-over as I stood up and walked over to him.

"Are you here for my class notes, Connie?"

He rolled his brown eyes at me, clearly not amused.

'Very funny, Swan. No, I'm here for something else.' His suggestive tone indicated an incoming dirty joke.

"Umm…let me guess, a pair of balls?"

He crossed his quarterback arms in front of his chest, stepping closer to my shorter frame. 'Nah, I already got those.'

"Look, I don't have all day, so what do you want, Conrad?"

His thin lips twisted into a smirk as his gaze traveled down my black shirt. 'I heard from a _Princeton_ bird that your oral skills are to die for, if you know what I mean.' He replied.

"Excuse me?" I frowned in disbelief, my brain quickly pointing a finger at William.

It had to be him.

'Come on Bella, don't play coy with me.' He whispered in my ear.

'I'll pay you double the money he offered you for that blow job.'

My face paled, and my body started shaking like a mini-Hulk.

"You want me to give you a BJ? Huh?" I seethed.

He nodded enthusiastically and dug out his wallet to prove just how serious he was.

As for me, well…I acted on impulse and slapped him.

Hard.

My hand stung upon impact, making him stagger backwards in shock.

"That's the only thing you're gonna get from me you son of a BITCH!" I yelled at the top of my lungs, shooting daggers at him.

More students were gathering around us, including his buddies, who were clearly embarrassed for him.

"You can also tell William to go FUCK his precious ego. He's a liar and you're a gigantic idiot and a DICK for believing him."

Once I was done with my grand speech, I gathered my things and stormed towards the library where I hid in the bathroom for an hour.

I cried in one of the bathroom stalls, wishing dad was still alive so he could kick both Conrad and William's asses.

January tracked me down after hearing about the incident and tried to cheer me up. She later bought us tickets to go see The Avengers and we spent the entire time drooling over Thor and Captain America.

* * *

On Tuesday, I received a package from Milan, consisting of a black, Versace dress and a matching pair of Louboutin heels.

My mother was always bribing me with designer clothes, thinking they'd take my mind off the fact that she was a workaholic.

She was so passionate about her job; her eyes would light up at the mere mention of fabric.

I knew she married dad out of convenience, not love.

He was rich and she was young and ambitious, not to mention a gold-digger.

By the time I was born, she was already on her way to becoming a famous designer. A nanny was hired to look after me while she traveled the world, expanding her network of clients and opening boutiques in Paris and Japan.

Love and family were not on her agenda.

Dad was the one who told me bedtime stories and kissed me goodnight. He was the one who drove me to school and left me those little post-it notes in my lunch bag with –I love you- written on them.

I grew up believing that actions spoke louder than words.

If you love someone, you have to show him or her how much you care.

Dad was the perfect parent, until he sailed on his yacht one night and never returned.

The coast guards searched for him everywhere but his body was never recovered. They said the tide must have carried him further into the ocean.

I was eight years old at the time.

Grandpa insisted that he was still alive and I held on to that thread of hope for a full year. We used to camp out on the beach and he would tell me stories about his earlier childhood, and how he'd once visited the Forbidden Cave.

His only proof of that visit was the coin he gave me.

It was made of silver metal, with a unicorn head on one side and a wolf on the other. Mom later told me that it was fake and that I shouldn't take grandpa too seriously.

Poor grandpa.

I sighed and closed the door on those old memories as I examined the dress.

It was actually wearable and it reminded me of Jacob for some reason.

Speaking of Jacob, I was super excited to see him on Saturday.

The anticipation was killing me.

I wanted to know where he lived and what his family was like.

January was right.

I was kinda crushing on the guy.

* * *

Argumentative essays and boring assignments kept me busy throughout the rest of the week.

I woke up on Friday feeling extra cheerful and extremely energetic with a bounce in my step.

January ambushed me outside of class, demanding an explanation for my Mary Poppins attitude. I simply told her that I was glad the week was finally over, especially after that horrible confrontation with Conrad.

Later that day, we headed to the carnival for a healthy dose of bumper cars and cotton candy.

The weather was perfect so we were able to visit the different food stands where we sampled hot dogs, French fries and funnel cake.

January bought two pairs of earrings while I purchased a small wolf carving from a Native American lady who sold an array of handmade stuff.

There was a fortune-teller tent erected next to the merry-go-round, and I found myself being dragged into said tent since my best friend wanted a Tarot reading.

I sat there; staring at the crystal ball while an old lady lined up the cards for Jan and spoke to her about the future. I stifled a yawn and considered ditching my BFF for the thrill of an ice-cream cone.

The grey-haired gypsy, however, offered to read my palm and wouldn't take no for an answer.

_Jeez, how could I resist?_

She took my hand and studied the lines as if they were pages in a book. Her pale, blue eyes widened and the atmosphere in the tent changed all of a sudden.

'You seek the forbidden, my child.'

"The forbidden?"

She nodded, her wrinkled face contorting with fear.

'There are other worlds beside our own, other dimensions. They are not meant to merge or meet.' She tightened her grip on my hand.

"I…I don't understand."

'You will have to make a choice soon, and it will change your life forever.' She predicted.

"What choice?"

I held my breath and waited for her answer.

'A choice between _love_ and peace.'

* * *

The fortuneteller's words lingered in my ear until the very next day.

I had no idea what she meant by -other worlds- and a choice between love and peace.

I also had no idea about what to wear for my rendezvous with Jacob.

Haha.

Why didn't he suggest that we meet in a coffee shop, like normal people?

OMG, maybe he was a player.

No, it wasn't possible. I didn't smell it on him.

Players usually had this distinctive _Eau de douchebag_ reeking from them.

Jacob was far from a douche, and he was also familiar.

_Why on earth was he do damn familiar?_

* * *

The ocean was calm and friendly as I strolled to the lifeguard tower.

I smoothed down my denim skirt, feeling nervous as I approached the tall, broad-shouldered figure ahead.

Jacob turned around, his face still hidden in the shadows of the tower.

'Bella…you came.'

_Oh, yes I think I did! _

No pun intended.

I blushed in the dark, feeling his midnight eyes drinking me in.

He smiled, and I realized that he was dressed in casual attire for the very first time.

"You're wearing jeans!" I blurted out.

'Yeah, and you look very beautiful.' His deep voice was music to my ears.

"Thank you."

He led me to the staircase where a picnic blanket was draped over a couple of steps.

'I thought a seating arrangement was in order.'

"Good call." I grinned as he reappeared from behind the wooden column with a basket in hand.

'Can I interest you in a drink? Maybe a sandwich?'

"Sure."

He fished out a can of soda then handed it to me.

'I've got tuna, grilled cheese and smoked salmon in here.'

I opted for the grilled cheese and almost squealed in delight when he sat down next to me, smelling divine as always.

'So Bella, are you in high school or college?'

"I'm actually a freshman at U-Dub."

He took a bite out of his tuna sandwich, and I did some major ogling in the meantime.

'Do you have any brothers or sisters?'

"No. I'm an only child. How about you?"

'I have an older brother named Sam and two twin sisters; Rachel and Rebecca.'

"Wow. That must be nice, having a big family, I mean."

He nodded, wiping the corner of his mouth with a napkin.

'It is…most of the time.'

"You're lucky, Jacob. I live all by myself these days. It kinda sucks."

'Why? Where are your parents?'

I toyed with my soda can, feeling a lump form in my throat.

"My dad died when I was little and my mom is on an extended business trip."

'Do you live near the beach?' He asked, propping his back against the railing.

His upper-half was facing me, and his long legs were almost parallel to the stairs, reaching all the way down to the sand.

_Gosh, he's so tall!_

"Yeah, my place is like, two blocks away."

'My house is not too far either.'

"Really? How come I've never seen you before?"

He took a sip of his water and immediately changed the subject.

'Tell me Bella, is your boyfriend okay with you sneaking out this late to meet me? A guy you _barely _even know?'

"I could ask you the exact same question, Jacob." I shot back.

'I don't have a boyfriend…_or_ a girlfriend for that matter.' He casually answered.

Woohoo!

Yay!

YES!

"I'm also single…"

He arched an eyebrow, tilting his head sideways in a very sexy move. 'Really?'

"Uh-huh."

Jacob's onyx eyes trapped me in their clutches, studying me intently.

He leaned forward and his thumb lightly traced the tiny scar above my upper lip. 'How did you get this scar, Bella?'

"Oh, it was a long time ago."

'I was there….' He whispered.

My brain was flipping through the pages of my memory, unable to locate the reason behind this specific injury.

'You don't remember me, do you?'

"N-n-no."

A deep, guttural laugh erupted from his sensuous mouth.

It sounded so sexy; I wanted to record it on my Blackberry.

"What's so funny?"

'Nothing…I'm sorry. It's just ironic how we were _destined_ to see each other as kids and now as adults….'

"I don't believe in destiny."

He rose to his feet to stand directly in my line of sight.

'You're upset. Tell me why.'

"No, I'm not. So we've met before, what's the big deal?" I shrugged.

'It is for me…but you probably won't understand.'

"Why not?"

He gazed out into the ocean, and I resisted the urge to get up and hug him.

_Great, I managed to turn him into grumpy!_

'I'm breaking the rules by simply talking to you, Bella.'

"What rules?" I prodded.

He swallowed hard but remained silent.

This air of mystery was starting to become a pain in the ass.

"Is this some kind of ploy to get me to feel sorry for you? All this bullshit about destiny and rule breaking, not to mention this tortured thing you've got going on…huh…is it, Jacob?"

_Okay, so maybe pissing off a guy who was three times my size is not such a good idea..._

Instead of getting angry or calling me a bitch and storming off, he pursed his lips and gave me a sympathetic look.

'Come here, Bella.'

I scooted down the stairs, wondering if I should make a run for it.

"Look, I had a shitty week, ok? And your cryptic answers are not helping."

He sighed, and held out his hand to me. 'Let me walk you home, then we can both go our separate ways.'

"No."

'Then what do _you_ want?' He softly asked.

"I want the truth."

Jacob bit his lower lip, his eyes reflecting his inner-conflict.

'You were out here with your grandfather, I think...and he offered me his fishing pole, and taught me how to use it.'  
He smiled at the memory.

'I was too busy trying to catch my first fish that I didn't notice you tripping over the pole. You landed on your shovel, and split your lip open.'

"Ouch! I do remember the shovel incident."

'Yeah, I was a bit chubby at the time, maybe that's why you're having trouble remembering me.'

I glanced up at his chiseled jaw, high cheekbones and straight nose. He was far from chubby now.

"What? For real?"

'Yes...I was an ugly twelve year-old.' He chuckled.

"No. That's not possible."

'I was...trust me.'

"So, do you have any other hobbies besides fishing?"

_Like opening highly-impenetrable safes, for example?_

He nodded. 'I'm very creative so my list of hobbies includes everything.'

"Everything?" I repeated.

'Yep, painting, sculpture, assembling car engines...you name it.'

"Umm...how do you feel about cracking a safe?"


	4. Safe Introductions

**Disclaimer: I do NOT own any of the Twilight characters.  
**

**The plot, however, is all mine.  
**

******Rated M for language.**

* * *

"Have you ever tried breaking into a safe before?" I asked Jacob on the way to my house.

'Nope.'

"So I'm going to be the one to pop your _safe-cracking_ cherry, eh?"

Jacob suddenly dropped his water bottle, sending it rolling towards the neighboring iron gates. He looked adorably flustered and was just about to say something when the gates swung open and Mrs. Yvonne's red BMW rounded the corner.

"Shit." I panicked, not wanting her to see me.

The car was headed in our direction, so I quickly pushed Jacob into the shadows of a nearby oak tree and used him as a human shield for a few seconds until the car was gone.

'Bella, what are you doing?'

_Great, now he's going to think that I'm a crazy person with a freakin safe obsession!_

"Sorry, that was my nosy neighbor…I didn't want her to see me." I explained.

I was too distracted to notice that my body was still pressed up against his muscular frame; my head directly below the tiny Lacoste alligator on his shirt.

I cleared my throat, forcing my teenage hormones to simmer down as I retreated to the safety of the sidewalk.

_Invading one's personal space, so NOT cool._

Jacob didn't seem to mind though, since he kept the conversation going. 'Nosy people are the worst.'

"Yeah, they get all up in your business then try to blackmail you every chance they get."

'Tell me about it.' He nodded in agreement.

My five-bedroom Victorian house finally came into view, its white exterior illuminated by the moon. I punched in the security code and led McHottie past the gates.

"Welcome to _casa_ de Swan."

'Your last name is Swan?' Jacob asked as we climbed up the porch steps.

"Yep. What's yours by the way?"

'My family name is _Black_.'

"Oooh…sexy." I blurted out while unlocking the front door.

_Wow Bella, you're on a roll tonight!_

Jacob chuckled from behind me and I mentally chastised myself for vocalizing my thoughts.

The interior of the house was cold, much like the cool, blue undertones of its walls and furniture.

"The basement's this way." I motioned for him to follow me down the dim-lit corridor.

'How can you sleep in here without any form of company, Bella?'

"I got used to it, McHott…_err_…I mean, _Jacob_. It's no biggie."

_Phew! That was close._

'How about I bring Alpha to stay with you until your mother returns?' He sweetly offered.

"Jake, trust me, I've done this like, a zillion times before."

His midnight eyes lingered on my face and did their trade-mark lockdown on my entire body. I literally could not move.

'You called me Jake.'

His deep voice sounded a bit amused.

"Oops…sorry…"

'No, don't apologize. I want you to call me _Jake_ from now on.' He smiled.

_Hot damn, why did he have to be so –romance novel- gorgeous?_

*sigh*

"Okay. Jake it is."

* * *

"Do you need any tools? A drill maybe?"

'No, just the blueprint.' Jacob replied. His long, slender fingers examining the lock on the mini-fridge sized safe.

"It's a fire resistant safe."

I handed him the blueprint, praying he'd find a way to open it.

He bit his lower lip in concentration and got to work, so I simply sat and watched him tackle the combination lock till I got bored and decided to entertain myself with some internet browsing on my laptop.

Less than ten minutes later, I heard a faint click followed by Jacob announcing that he was done.

"Get out! You're already DONE?" I exclaimed, jumping from the couch.

He grinned and held the metallic door open for me.

'Piece of cake.'

"Oh my God! You are _amazing_!"

My arms were flat-out yanking him down for a hug.

_I didn't do hugs._

January usually initiated those.

"Thank you."

'Sure…sure.'

His hot breath was in my ear as his body arched to accommodate my lack of height. I felt his hands on my waist a heartbeat later, but the feeling only lasted a millisecond before he pulled away.

His shoulders were tense and his nostrils were flaring.

'I should go.' He stated in a strained voice.

"What? Now?"

He firmly nodded, avoiding eye-contact.

The initial excitement resulting from opening the safe vanished and I sorrowfully nodded as he brushed past me on his way to the stairs.

'Jake, wait!' I bounded up the steps, wondering what the hell just happened.

_It was like I was prince charming and he was a fleeing Cinderella._

He paused in the doorway without warning and I slammed into his tall frame by accident, losing my balance in the process.

"Whoa…"

His fast reflexes came to my rescue, preventing me from plummeting to my death. I had no idea how he did it, but I found myself glued to his chest, his biceps hooked beneath my armpits.

I felt like a fish suspended in the air.

"Wow, I do need a step ladder to reach your face."

The words tumbled out of my mouth without my consent.

_What's with the word vomit? Seriously!_

Jacob's eyes were so dark, the irises were nowhere in sight.

I blinked when I realized just how close our faces were.

His sensuous mouth was _inches _from my panting one.

'I'll be back tomorrow with Alpha and he _will _guard you while you sleep.'

I licked my lips, knowing that my cheeks were getting flushed in record speed.

The sexual tension between us was suffocating.

"But…"

Jacob set me down on my feet; his expression clearly indicated that there was no room for discussion. 'This is not a request; _this_ is a promise from me to you.'

My brain was still recovering from his mega-hotness as I followed him down the carpeted hallway.

'Goodnight, Bella.' He said whilst opening the front door.

"Goodnight." I whispered.

* * *

I spent the rest of the night skimming through grandpa's leather bound journals.

There was a particular entry dating back to the nineteen fifties.

He was in his thirties at the time, and was married to my grandmother who was also a gold-digger like my mom.

_Shit, it runs in the family._

_**September 5th 1951**_

_**Today was a darn good day. The lady of the house was cooking up a storm in the kitchen, yelling at the servants and fussing over the kids so I took that fishing pole and went to the beach.**_

_**Keeping that God awful secret has been a burden these past few years. I know I have to keep my mouth shut but the truth is, I'll never forget what happened at the cave. **_

**_Those creatures saved my life. I'm indebted to them as long as I shall live. They could've wiped my memory clean but they didn't._ _Instead, they made a bargain with me, one that I might regret one day._**

* * *

**A/N: So Bella managed to finally open the safe, thanks to Jacob.**

**Let me know your thoughts and theories on Bella's grandpa and his journal entry. Is he crazy, or telling the truth? What did he see in that cave?  
**


	5. Alpha Saves the Day

**Disclaimer: I do NOT own any of the Twilight characters.  
**

**The plot, however, is all mine.  
**

******Rated M for language.**

* * *

True to his word, Jacob stopped by the following night with Alpha in tow.

The white husky greeted me with a loud yelp and nuzzled his snout into my palm.

'He likes you.' Jacob remarked, looking –_fresh to death_- in a black Pierre Cardin suite.

He could totally give actor Colin Firth a run for his money.

"Wow, you are ridiculously easy on the eyes tonight." I blurted out.

_Oh crap, his cheeks are turning pink. You're embarrassing the guy Bella. _

_Stop it right now!_

'Uh...thanks. I'm dressed in formal attire because of a benefit I'm required to attend.'

"When?"

'In less than an hour so I'm going to have to make this quick.'

_Ooh..a quickie!_

"Okay."

_Jeez, Bella. Mind in the gutter much?_

'Alpha has already been fed so don't let him trick you into giving him any more treats.'

"Oh." I pouted. "I kinda bought him a big box of doggy biscuits."

Alpha's ears perked up at the mention of food, his cobalt blue eyes doing a quick scan of the foyer.

'Those can wait until tomorrow.' Jacob firmly said, glancing down at his dog.

"Okay, is there anything else I need to know?"

Jacob handed me a silver leash, and judging by the fact that he didn't give me a long list of instructions on how to handle his dog, I figured it must be a piece of cake.

'Yes, actually…you see, Alpha is not your average dog. He's well trained and he'll easily take care of his _business_ on the beach.'

"You mean his pooping business?"

_No shit, Sherlock!_

'Exactly.' Jacob chuckled. 'As for sleeping arrangements, he'll sleep anywhere during the day but make sure to keep your bedroom door open at night.'

"Cool, I always keep my door open anyway."

'Very well then, I'll be back to check on the two of you tomorrow.' He patted Alpha's shiny coat before exiting the house.

"Umm…Jake?"

'Yes?'

"I don't mean to be _nosy _or anything, but what's your line of work?"

Jacob adjusted his shiny cufflinks in the dim porch lights, reminding me of a recent Hugo Boss ad.

He was so elegant, almost like he was royalty or something.

A real life prince charming!

_Okay, seriously Bella, Once Upon a Time is only a TV series…_

'I work in public relations, hence the charity benefit. I'm representing my father tonight. He wants me to give an elaborate speech on his behalf.'

"Ugh, I hate public speaking."

'Me too.' He winked at me before climbing down the steps.

'Goodnight Bella.'

"Good luck on that speech!" I called out after him.

'Thanks!'

_Girl, why didn't you ask for his number? _

I was pulled out of my thoughts by none other than Alpha, who was currently chewing on the hem of my sweater.

"Jeez, what's with the fabric fixation?"

* * *

Two hours later, the young husky was happily chewing on his newly purchased chew-toy while I read my assigned book on _Oedipus_ for my Greek mythology class.

The guy basically murdered his father then married his mother.

_Eeew…_

I hated Greek tragedies, and angst for that matter.

Alpha stayed by my side all night, or at least until I fell asleep. Aside from the earlier fabric chewing, he was perfectly fine and comfortable in my room.

I woke up the next morning to a wet tongue licking my face.

It was way too early for my first class but I hauled my ass out of bed and served him his food in the kitchen.

I watched him wolf down his beef and chicken meal in like, ten seconds.

"Whoa! Are you still hungry, big fella?"

He slid his blue bowl in my direction and barked in reply.

"Is that a yes?" I giggled as he rose on his hind legs and placed his paws on the kitchen counter, directly in front of the purple can. He circled my feet like a possessive cat while I filled up his bowl a second time.

His silky soft fur tickled my skin, and I suddenly realized how good it felt to have a pet for company.

After breakfast, I packed my notebooks in my favorite tote bag and got dressed for uni. My schedule for the day was nice and short, and I was actually looking forward to coming home and spending more time with my temporary companion.

"Umm…I'm not sure if you like watching TV but _Animal Planet_ is very entertaining." I flipped through the channels, wondering if he was into cable television.

Alpha jumped on the most expensive arm-chair in our living room and curled himself into a snow ball.

"Alrighty then, see ya later, alligator!" I scratched him below the ear, hoping he doesn't get bored in my absence.

* * *

January and I made a new friend that day, a quirky freshman student named Caroline who invited us to a party at her boyfriend's frat house. I almost gagged at the mention of beer pong and drunken teenagers pretending to be seniors and shit.

It was definitely not my scene but January was excited at the prospect of experiencing her very first frat party and begged me to say yes.

She batted her thick lashes at me; her _Keri Russell_ features reminding me of the movie _Waitress_.

_All those delicious pies…yummy…_

"Fine, I'll go, BUT only for an hour." I yielded.

Jacob was on my mind during my final class for the day.

What if he showed up while I was at the party?

Should I leave him a note at the door?

By the time class was over, my mind was packed with a million questions.

Questions about grandpa, his journals and other mundane teenage stuff.

Luckily for me, Alpha greeted me at the gates and wiped all those thoughts away.

"Hey! Did ya miss me?" I smiled, petting his snow-white head.

He wagged his tail then sprinted across the front lawn.

"Uh-oh."

My mother's porcelain swan was lying on the grass with a broken neck.

It was part of our lawn décor.

"Alpha!" I rested both hands on my hips, surveying the damage he caused.

His puppy-dog eyes were laced with guilt as he sat on his haunches and whimpered.

"Mom is _so_ going to throw a _hissy _fit over this but don't worry, I'll have it replaced in no time."

Fortunately, the interior of the house was surprisingly intact.

None of our furniture was chewed on and he'd somehow managed to find the hidden bag of doggy biscuits. It was ripped open _and_ most of the biscuits were gone.

"You're _C_ for clever, aren't you?"

He barked in reply and followed me to my bedroom.

* * *

"Where have you been? 'cause I never see you out. Are you hiding from me, somewhere in the crooooowd?" I sang in front of the mirror while putting on my make-up.

Alpha howled, covering his ears with those big paws of his.

"Seriously?"

He was sitting on my bed, sporting one of my silk scarves around his furry neck.

_What? The dog's obviously got style. _

I kissed his snout and made sure to fill up his bowl with food along with a separate one for water.

"I'll be back shortly, I promise."

* * *

Unfortunately, that did _not_ happen.

The hour turned into two and I found myself trying to escape the haze of smoke and loud music inside the crowded frat house. The drink in my hand kept me company as I searched for January and Leo.

A cute senior named Kyle saw me standing out in the yard and offered to entertain me until my missing friends showed up.

'I can give you a ride home if you want.'

"No, that's umm...ok."

His gaze landed on my leather skirt, and I could easily tell that he was undressing me with his eyes.

_Yuck._

'Aren't you going to finish your drink?' He asked.

A wave of dizziness washed over me all of a sudden and I stumbled sideways.

"Whoa…vertigo."

Kyle was just about to touch my arm when a huge blur of fur appeared in my line of sight. It started barking and growling at Kyle who backed away from me almost instantly.

'Easy there tiger.'

"A-alpha?"

The husky sniffed the drink in my hand before sending it flying through the air moments later. It splashed Kyle in the face and the guy went ballistic.

'Is this your dog? Get him out of here, NOW!' He angrily yelled.

Alpha growled threateningly once more, forcing Kyle to retreat into the house.

"Fucker…" I muttered.

My legs couldn't carry me any longer so I sank down on the grass and leaned against _Lassie_ for support.

He licked my face, nudging my shoulder with his snout.

'Bella! Oh my God…' January's panicked voice was the last thing I heard before I passed out.

* * *

'Bella…wake up…please…'

A jolt of electricity hurled me back to consciousness as I felt a warm hand on my cheek.

I groggily lifted my head and saw Jacob's concerned face hovering above my own.

"Jake?"

'Oh thank God!' January's sigh of relief made me laugh.

She was constantly freaking out on me.

"What happened?"

Jacob's expression shifted from concerned to pissed in less than a heartbeat.

'You're drugged, Bella.' He replied.

'It's all my fault.' My best friend had tears in her eyes as she spoke.

"Shut up, Jan. I'm the one who chose to drink tonight."

'Yes, but I was the one who asked you to come!'

McHottie took advantage of my semi-vulnerable state and lifted me up from the grass. His biceps flexed beneath his formal jacket, and I wondered if he was a member of the –_six packs_- hall of fame.

"Hey! I can walk, you know."

'Not tonight, you don't.' He shot back in a firm tone.

'If Jacob and his dog hadn't showed up…'

"Oh enough of the guilt trip woman! Go back to Leo, I'll be fine…right, Jake?"

'I _will_ take her home and make sure she's safe.' He vowed.

"See? Now shoo! You're giving me a headache."

January nodded and made me promise to call her as soon as I reached the house.

* * *

Jacob carried me home like I weighed nothing, then he made me drink lots of water and asked if I had herbal tea in the kitchen.

"Check the cabinet above the microwave."

I savored the view of Jacob's behind as he flitted around the kitchen, boiling water and searching for my favorite mug.

Alpha refused to leave my side, much to Jake's amusement.

He was so protective of me even though I wasn't his owner or anything.

When it was time for me to use the bathroom, he stood guard at the door after Jacob spoke to him in _Russian_.

No kidding.

Apparently, that's where Alpha was born. Russia.

Oh and McHottie turned out to be fluent in seven languages!

_Holy muffin_…I was beyond impressed.

* * *

'Nice pajamas.' Jake smirked at my choice of nightwear.

"Thanks."

'Bananas are my favorite fruit.' He added.

_Yes, Bella Swan had opted to wear her banana patterned PJs._

"Mine too, but seriously…stop teasing."

He feigned innocence and propped his arm on the window ledge.

'You are full of surprises, Miss Swan.'

"Care to elaborate, Mr. Black?"

His midnight eyes were hard to read as he straightened his posture and shrugged into his jacket. 'Next time, Bella. It's getting late and you need to rest.'

"Yeah, whatever." I shrugged, stifling a yawn.

Alpha and I walked him to the door where I remembered to thank him for taking care of me at the last minute.

_Phew!_

'You are most welcome, Bells. May I call you _Bells_?'

Nostalgia hit me like a railway train.

Grandpa came up with that nickname for me. He thought _Isabella_ was too uptight and formal for a young girl.

"Y-y-yes…please do."

'Very well then, goodnight, Bells.'

"Goodnight, Jake."

I locked the door once he was gone then banged my head against it.

"Bananas? Really, Bella. _Really?_"


	6. The Curious Case of McHottie

**Disclaimer: I do NOT own any of the Twilight characters.  
**

**The plot, however, is all mine.  
**

******Rated M for language.**_**  
**_

* * *

_**April 20th 1974**_

_**My youngest daughter, the apple of my eye, is growing up to be materialistic just like her mother. All Barbara cares about is going shopping for the latest fashionable clothes and outshining the ladies of the country club. I was forced to get another mortgage on our summer home in Montauk so we can afford to marry off my eldest daughter, Margaret in the summer.**_

_**Work is draining the life out of me. **_

_**Fishing used to help clear my head but I don't have the time to go to the beach anymore. **_

_**.**_

_**.**_

_**.**_

_**Juliana's seventeenth birthday is around the corner….**_

_**It was only yesterday that I was teaching her how to ride a bike. She used to love listening to my bedtime stories, and I used to be her hero…**_

_**Her imagination always landed her in trouble with her teachers. Of course, Barbara didn't approve of her daughter being the wild tomboy at her school, so she took advantage of my endless hours at work to brainwash the poor girl.**_

_**The wife taught her not to show weakness, especially in public. She's grooming her to become shallow and detached.  
**_

_**It's safe to say that Juliana is following in her mother's footsteps and I have no clue what to do about it.**_

_**.**_

_**.**_

_**.**_

_**Ocean has already seen her. **_

_**He says his people are outraged at the prospect of a mere human becoming their future queen. He also said that his life could be in danger because of that decision.**_

_**My concern is Juliana. **_

_**If I tell her what I know, she's going to think her old man has gone bonkers.**_

* * *

'Earth to Bella!'

I glanced up from grandpa's journal long enough to glare at my best friend who wouldn't shut up about Jacob.

Seriously.

Ever since he showed up to my rescue the night before, she deemed him worthy of my affection _and_ my _virginity_.

Haha.

"What?"

Her eyes were trained on the journal in my lap.

'You seem so engrossed in whatever it is you're reading.' She remarked.

"Yep. Why?"

'Ugh...never mind. You're so out of it today.'

"True…I have a lot on my mind."

Jan arched an eyebrow, waiting for me to spill the beans.

'I'm listening.'

I shut the journal and put it away in my tote bag, not knowing where to start.

"Jacob is more than amazing, but he's also too mysterious."

'So he's the silent type, there's no harm in that.'

"You don't understand, Jan. He won't tell me where he lives and why he's not allowed to talk to me."

'He told you he's _not_ allowed to talk to you?'

"Yep."

'OMG, is he married?'

She bolted to her feet in premature anger. 'That _mother chucker_! I'm SO going to kick his ass.'

"No! no…he's single."

'How can you be so sure, Bella?'

Her question punched me in the gut.

I had to dig up information on the guy, maybe hire a private investigator to follow him around and stuff.

_Jeez, Bella…stalker much?_

"Look, Jake might be all cryptic and stuff but he's not a liar, ok?"

'If you say so, sweetie. I was truly impressed when he offered to take you home and lent you his dog. He obviously feels protective of you.'

"Yes…and he's a gentleman too." I sighed. "If only he'd confide in me. I really want to get to know him better."

'Me too.'

* * *

Later that day, I wrote a list of questions regarding Jake and titled it **The **_**Curious Case of McHottie.** _

Here are the top five:

1. How did Alpha know where to find me? Did he like, track my scent?

2. Why is Jacob always showing up at night? Why not in the afternoon? Is he a vampire? Haha.

3. How come it's against the rules to talk to me? Is he part of a cult?

**'_Cause that would be the freakiest thing ever._**

**_Yikes!_**

4. Does he own a Blackberry? And if he did, would it be too forward of me to ask for his BB pin?

**_He could be an iPhone person and in that case you're screwed, unless you download WhatsApp..._**

5. Why do I always run into him at the beach and not in the mall for example?

* * *

I highlighted the questions in yellow and posted the paper on the fridge while Alpha ate his dinner.

His collar started blinking rapidly all of a sudden, then his ears perked up and he bolted out the back door like the kitchen was on fire.

"What the…"

He sprinted across the lawn and jumped over the white picket fence before disappearing out of sight.

"Alpha!"

I grabbed my keys and shoved them in my pocket as I ran after him.

He was headed for the beach, barking non stop along the way.

My heart was pounding in my ears, hoping that Jake was okay.

The barking stopped the moment my feet landed on the sand. I could clearly see the white husky in the distance, his collar still blinking on and off like an emergency light.

My throat felt dry as I approached him, holding a hand to my chest.

"Oh my God."

Jacob was struggling to stay upright and there was blood on his _armor_.

"Jake."

Alpha was whining in sadness, licking at his owner's hand while I darted to his side for help.

'Bells…' He turned his head in my direction. 'Can you…do me a favor?'

"Anything." I replied.

'I need to get rid of this junk.'

"Okay."

Jacob smiled in gratitude, watching me as I undid the breastplate.

I've read enough about armor to know the different parts that needed to come off. They were a pain in the ass to memorize for my junior history project on Medieval times.

"You're injured." I observed.

There was a tiny dent in the gardbrace that covered the front of his shoulder.

_Holy muffin, I'm undressing Jacob! _

Okay, the correct term would be disarming. I think.

Anyways, so while I was _disarming _McHottie, _this_ came out of his mouth:

'No, I'm not. This is...uh...not my blood.'

_Say what?_

"I'm sorry. Could you say that again?"

I yanked the breastplate with all my strength, telling myself not to jump to conclusions.

'It's not what you think.'

He violently tugged at his gloves, taking them off rather impatiently.

'I was attacked.'

"You don't say." I rolled my eyes, my tone laced with sarcasm.

'Bella….'

"Wait a minute! Are you a closeted gaming nerd? Because I'm totally cool if you're into _Dungeons and Dragons_."

Jacob frowned, but I patted his arm reassuringly.

"Don't worry. Your secret's safe with me."

_Hell, he can dress up as a knight any time he wants. _

'_**Bella**_...'

"Role-playing is hot, but you're taking this a little too seriously. You scared me half to death!" I scolded him.

'_Jesus Christ_, Swan. This is NOT a game.' He lowered his head to look me straight in the eye.

"Then enlighten me, Jake, because _thi_s is getting ridiculous."

'It is, isn't it?' His face was inches from my own; I could taste his breath on my tongue.

"Tell me what happened."

His gaze faltered, and I could easily see his inner-conflict rising to the surface.

'I…I can't.'

"Then why did you ask to see me? And why did you come to my rescue last night, huh?" I jabbed a finger in his chest, demanding an honest answer for a change.

"Why go through all this trouble when you're not even allowed to be here, WHY?" My voice rose an octave higher, causing Alpha to hide behind Jacob.

'I asked myself the exact same question, Bella…but the truth is…' He swallowed hard, running his fingers through his disheveled hair.

"Yes?"

_Come on, say it!_

'You offer me a bit of escapism from my everyday life...'

OH.

My.

God.

"From everyday life or from your _girlfriend_?"

His onyx eyes widened in response.

'I'm not a liar, Bella.'

"Then prove it!" I shot back. "_Prove_ to me that you're single, Jacob."

'You want me to prove it?' He reached down and took off the remaining parts of his armor.

"Yes." My legs carried me a little further away from him.

'Then that's what I'm going to do.' He chucked the last piece of metal over his shoulder then stalked his way over to me.

_Uh-oh_

I cursed my big mouth for mentioning the _G-word. _In the order of things, THIS was not a priority.

My teenage hormones were to blame.

Shit.

Here he comes.

I held my ground, expecting him to show me his _single_ relationship status on Facebook via his phone OR admit that he had a GIANT crush on me. Haha.

Instead, he grabbed me by the waist and KISSED me.

* * *

**A/N: Sorry for the cliffhanger! ;)**

**Any thoughts on why Jacob was dressed in armor?  
**

**He was definitely NOT fighting off dragons of any kind.  
**


	7. Kisses and BlackBerries

**Disclaimer: I do NOT own any of the Twilight characters.  
**

**The plot, however, is all mine.  
**

******Rated M for language.**

* * *

**Suggested Listening: A Fine Frenzy - Electric Twist**

* * *

Jacob's kiss was tame and totally PG-13 and I was more than willing to wrap my arms around those broad shoulders and kiss him back.

_Carpe Diem, Bella!_

I puckered my lips, enjoying the feel of his hands on my waist.

_Unfortunately_, the kiss barely lasted a few seconds since it was rudely interrupted by a powerful static shock that broke us apart.

_Welcome to the Twilight Zone._

Alpha started barking as the air crackled with electricity, making my hair stand on end.

"What the..."

I smoothed down my hair, praying that I didn't look like Marge Simpson.

Jacob's amused chuckle only made things worse.

His long hair was a tiny bit disheveled but it still looked good.

'I'm sorry. That was highly inappropriate.'

I took a deep breath and waited until the static died down, wondering if this was going to happen every time we freakin' kissed.

"Are you apologizing for the kiss?"

His expression was far from sorry but he nodded anyway. 'Yes. It was impulsive and I did it without your consent.'

_Spoken like a true gentleman._

"Umm…don't be sorry. It's not like you shoved your tongue down my throat or tried to cop a feel…besides, I'm the one who pushed your buttons…" I babbled.

"But seriously, what's with the monster static?"

Jacob appeared to be mystified by the whole static thing too.

'I have no clue whatsoever.' He replied rather grimly.

The stubbornness in his eyes was reflected in his brave attempt to touch me, only to get himself zapped in the arm by _The Invisible Cock-blocker_ for the second time in a row!

_Seriously_.

'I…I have to go.'

"What? _Nooo_…" I whined like a baby.

'Bells, someone attacked me and I need to figure out who it was.'

"Fine, but you owe me one hell of an explanation, Jacob Black. This X-files shit is creeping me out."

'I know.'

He picked up the breastplate and tucked it under his arm.

"You're not a time-traveler, are you?"

'No.'

I helped him gather the rest of the metal parts without accidentally touching him, which was hard.

_Really hard_.

No pun intended.

"I think it's your turn to borrow Alpha for a few days." I suggested.

'No, absolutely not.'

"Jake, you're the one who's in danger, not me. So please, drop your big brother routine, ok?"

'Brother?' He frowned.

"Yep. Don't get me wrong, your..umm..kiss was far from brotherly…_err_…what I'm trying to say is that you need Alpha more than I do."

The white husky barked in reply, moving to stand beside Jacob.

_Boy, was that dog smart!_

'Are you sure?'

"Yeah, I'm sure."

His onyx orbs lingered on my lips, and I could tell that he was itching to French me.

"Jake?"

'Yes?'

"Can I…umm...do you…?"

_Get it together, Bella!_

"Do you have a BlackBerry?" I stuttered out like an idiot.

'Yes, of course…you?'

_Cue the dumb nodding._

'Well, since you've opened the subject of mobile phones, how about you give me your number and BB pin?'

_Did he just say BB pin?_

_Yay!_

We quickly exchanged numbers and pins, and I managed to contain my inner-giddiness until I got home.

My empty, Alpha-less _home_.

* * *

Jacob had a super sexy display picture on BBM.

I shamelessly saved it for future ogling and spent the entire night thinking about our kiss.

The next morning, he messaged me during English class.

_**Good morning, did U sleep well last night? :)**_

_Oooh, a smiley face._

I discreetly typed a reply, struggling to maintain a poker face while doing so.

**~Hey! :) Yeah, I did. How abt u?~**

My BlackBerry buzzed a few minutes later, and I stifled another yawn as our boring teacher went on and on about the correct structuring of an essay and how we were simply too lazy to hand in our assignments on time.

'Somebody _stake_ me.' January hissed from behind me.

I wedged my phone between the pages of my notebook to read Jake's reply.

_**I hardly slept at all. Where r u?**_

My fingers worked those buttons like a pro.

**~English class :S U?~**

'Bella, do you have gum?' Jan whispered.

"No."

'Twizzlers?'

I fished out the red packet from my bag and passed it to her under the table.

_**I'm at work. Static-free ;)**_

His words made me smile but I couldn't help but feel that _this_ was not enough.

I had to see him again.

**~ R U free next weekend? ~ B**

His response was annoyingly frustrating.

_**My family is keeping me under surveillance for the next month or so. **_

~**Why?~**

_**Because of what happened last night. **_

* * *

The week flew by and I found myself dreading my mother's arrival.

I had already photocopied grandpa's journals before returning them to the safe.

It was Jacob's idea, not mine.

He was incredibly resourceful and turned out to be a _huge_ history buff.

When Saturday rolled around, I discovered that we had a lot in common, including our mutual love for frozen yoghurt.

Yummy.

Other than that, he completely dodged any questions related to his family.

"You know what?"

'What?'

"I'm starting to think that grandpa was right. You're not from around here, are you?"

'Bells…' His pleading tone was _oh-so-sexy_ on the phone.

"Is that a yes, Jake?"

'Maybe.' He sighed.

"Are you a vampire?"

Even _I_ rolled my eyes at that ridiculous question.

'No. I don't bite…unless you want me to.' He answered.

_Did he just…?_

"Haha. By the way, your phone-self is a lot different than your _real self_." I blurted out.

'How so?'

"I can't picture you saying _that_ to me in person, when we're face to face, you know?"

He chuckled into the receiver, and I totally swooned in front of my bathroom mirror.

'It's a matter of timing, Miss Swan.'

"Really? So what else is on your mind tonight, Mr. Black?"

Jacob's deep voice was making my cheeks blush and my lady parts tingle. He had the ability to turn every word into molten chocolate.

'I can tell you _who's_ on my mind.'

"Go ahead…"

My heart skipped a beat while I waited for him to reveal the object of his affection. Haha.

'You, Bells. I can't stop thinking about _you_.'

The yearning in his voice was too much to take.

"Oh my God. Jake, you can't say such things!" My shaky hand placed the BlackBerry in its bathtub-shaped holder above the sink before pressing the loudspeaker button.

'Why not?'

"Because…" I took a deep breath, splashing my face with cold water.

"It's not fair."

There was a long stretch of silence on the other end of the line.

I turned off the water tap, and waited for the verdict.

'I don't regret kissing you.' He revealed.

"Me neither."

'And I _want_ to tell you the truth about my life and where I'm from but it's a crime punishable by death, Bella.'

"Oh, wow. Jake, I could get you into serious trouble!"

I paced the pink tiled bathroom in panic, my brain leafing through the recent pages of grandpa's journal.

Like pieces of a puzzle, I was beginning to see the connection between Jacob and the information hidden within those journals.

'Bells, are you there?'

"Yeah."

'Don't worry about this, alright? I won't get into trouble. Trust me.'

"I do trust you, actually."

If I showed him the journals, then maybe, just _maybe_ I could prove that my grandfather was NOT crazy. That he was right all along.

It was worth a shot.

* * *

**A/N: Thanks for your awesome, insightful reviews.**

**I really do appreciate all of your theories and questions regarding Jacob's identity. More will be revealed in the next chapter so stay tuned and let me know what you think regarding Bella sharing the journals with him.  
**


	8. Damsel in Distress

**Disclaimer: I do NOT own any of the Twilight characters.  
**

**The plot, however, is all mine.  
**

******Rated M for language.**

* * *

**Suggested Listening**

Hope Sandoval & The Warm Inventions - **On The Low **

Sia- ******Moon **

* * *

"I hate men…seriously." I muttered to myself as I checked my watch for the umpteenth time, waiting for Jake to arrive.

He was fashionably late.

I dialed his mobile number, hoping he'd pick up, but the line got disconnected almost instantly.

Even his BBM wasn't working.

Back at home, I Googled his name but the stupid search engine gave me no hits whatsoever.

Was that even possible?

None of the houses in our neighborhood belonged to his family either.

It was like…

"No. There must be some kind of mistake."

Maybe he just moved here and that's why his information was not in the system.

~xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxox~

Two hours later, I heard the unmistakable sound of my mother's heels as she walked through the front door.

_Ugh…_

I descended the staircase, plastering a smile on my face as I rounded the corner. It was best to pretend that I'd missed her, or else I would never hear the end of it.

"Welcome home. Oh…"

I froze in my spot when I noticed the presence of a tall, hunky male specimen in the foyer. He was taking off his hat and jacket, fresh out of a photo-shoot.

'Isabella!' My mother's platinum hair was the last thing I saw before she pulled me into an uncharacteristic hug in front of _Johnny Depp's _twin.

_His French-looking twin._

The scent of _Chanel No.5_ assaulted my senses and I held back a sneeze while she introduced me to Jean Paul; her new boy-toy/model of the year.

_Please. kill. Me. Now. _

'Jean Paul will be staying with us for a few weeks.' Juliana informed me during a private mother-daughter chat inside her bedroom.

"Whatever..."

I stared at the pile of expensive clothes on top of her canopy bed, trying not to puke.

'How many times have I asked you not to use this tone with me, Isabella?'

Mom's tired, brown eyes shifted to my face, reminding me to keep my language AND attitude in check.

"Sorry mother. It's been a long day."

She gave me a stern -_don't bullshit me_- look then proceeded to ask me questions about U-Dub and my courses.

'If you decide to change your mind regarding this literature nonsense, let me know. I have quite the reputation at Parsons School in New York.'

_Here we go._

"I'm well aware of that but the answer is still no, ok? It will always be _NO_." I replied in a firm tone.

She stiffened at my words, smoothing down her already wrinkle-free _Hervé Léger_ dress.

It was kind of weird for my mother to have a body of a thirty year-old woman.

She was in her late fifties but her arms and legs were toned as hell.

Juliana Swan _never_ skipped a day of Pilates.

'There is no need for you to be defensive, Isabella. It's a shame though. You certainly have an eye for fashion.' Her disappointed tone was not new.

I got used to it over the years.

The lady wanted me to follow in her footsteps but I wasn't interested in being a fashion designer.

"Umm...ok. Can I go to bed now? I have an early day tomorrow."

She held up a perfectly manicured finger and asked me to take the smaller suitcase to my room.

'I bought you the latest autumn collection from Milan.'

"Roberto Cavalli?"

'Yes. I know how much you like him.'

A soft, maternal expression graced my mother's face for like a _millisecond_ before it disappeared beneath her cool exterior.

"Thanks."

'You're welcome.'

I paused at the doorway, marveling at her sheer poise and elegance.

"Mom?"

'Yes?'

I wanted to tell her that I missed her, despite everything (including the boy-toy who was currently residing in _our_ guest room).

I really did.

Instead, I shook my head and left the room.

* * *

Three days later, my feelings towards Jake were making themselves known on a whole new level.

I dreamed that I was trapped in a green maze. My eyes were frantically searching for an exit, but every time I walked down a trail, thick branches would appear out of nowhere and block my path.

I felt all alone…isolated…until a sword slashed through those branches and a tall, broad shouldered man in black armor emerged from the darkness.

"Jake?"

My hands reached out to touch him but he simply vanished into thin air.

His sword, however, was left lying on the ground.

I picked it up, examining the silver blade. It was deadly sharp and skillfully crafted.

Something moved within the blade itself, making me gasp in shock. I peered closely at the underwater image, taking in the colorful coral reefs and the stunning ocean bed.

The ruins in the background could be only described as ancient and hauntingly beautiful.

The image suddenly faded out and in its place was _Jacob_.

He looked so sad; his fingers touching the blade like he was on the other side…so close yet unreachable.

I woke up crying, and continued to be miserable all day until January bought me frozen yoghurt after lunch.

'You still haven't heard from Jake yet?'

"No. Not a word."

'Did you try calling him?'

"Yep."

'He must have a land-line, Bella. Did you check the phone directory?'

"I did, and his name is NOT listed anywhere, ok?"

I sniffed my tears, not wanting to cry in front of my best friend.

'Oh sweetie, I'm so sorry.' She put her arm around me in a comforting gesture.

"What for? I'm the idiot who's obsessing over her crush."

'See? You said it yourself; it's just a little crush so stop crying, hun. He's _sooooooooo_ not worth your tears.'

.

.

.

"I know."

* * *

Saturday rolled around in typical _Swan_ fashion.

Our house was swarming with my mother's favorite clients and fashionistas who were gathered to congratulate her on her recent success at Milan Fashion Week.

In an effort to forget about Jake, I agreed to play dress-up and attend the party, much to my mother's surprise. She was in high spirits the entire evening as she paraded me around the decorated living room.

I smiled politely and said –thank you- every time I received a compliment.

'Darling, you look like a princess!' Amelia, one of Juliana's closest friends complimented me on my Matthew Williamson gown.

It was a turquoise blue, floor length dress that made me feel like an Ancient Egyptian Barbie. Haha.

The champagne was definitely messing with my head since I managed to get through the night without being sassy or impolite.

When the clock struck midnight, I decided to go for a walk in my high heeled sandals.

Mother was too preoccupied to notice my absence so I hurried down the porch steps and almost tripped over the tail of my dress.

Speaking of fashion, my heels were a constant feature in my _Jacob _dreams.

Last night, I ended up chucking a pair of Prada shoes at him for being so mysterious.

The night before, he offered me a glass slipper that sparkled like a real diamond. My idiot _dream-self_ refused to accept such a priceless gift, telling him to go _shove it_ in the ocean for somebody else to find.

~xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxox~

I was too lost in thought to realize that my feet were leading me to the beach.

The ocean was calm by the time I reached the –no trespassing- sign, and a daring idea occurred to me while I toed off my golden sandals.

If those _creatures_ in The Forbidden Cave truly saved grandpa's life, then there was a big chance that they might save mine too.

_Right?_

There was only one way to find out, so I took a deep breath and dove into the water.

My lovely dress weighed me down a little but I was able to reach the small cove in no time.

The _cove_ was where the whirlpools usually occurred, and that alone made me swim ten times faster, trying to reach the cave's entrance.

"Shit!"

The water began to pull me in the opposite direction, dragging me into the center of a freakin water vortex that materialized out of nowhere!

The more I struggled, the worse it got so I forced my muscles to relax and prayed for a miracle.

.

.

Blue flames suddenly erupted from inside the cave. They lit up the whole interior like a Christmas tree.

Salt water was seeping into my ears as I clung to a tiny boulder in an effort to stay afloat.

The air crackled with electricity for a few seconds before _JACOB_ came barreling out of the cavern. His eyes frantically searched for the drowning victim, _a.k.a_ the damsel in distress, and when he found me, all hell broke loose.

'BELLA!'

He snatched the large rock that was sparkling within the blue flames and crushed it with his fist.

_Holy Superman!_

A sigh of relief escaped my quivering lips when the whirlpool died down, leaving nothing but mini-waves in its wake.

Jacob took off his white shirt, and I was distracted momentarily by his extremely toned physique.

He then dove into the water and did an amazing set of breast strokes that had me gasping for breath.

I was both cold and speechless by the time he carried me out of _freaky aqua park._

'Does _Forbidden_ mean nothing to you, Bells?'

McHottie was epically pissed, his Adam's apple bobbing up and down like it was jumping on a trampoline.

He paced the length of the wide entrance, tugging on his silky locks in frustration.

"Take a chill pill, Black. Jeez…"

_Ah…the mouth has spoken._

'No, I will NOT take a chill pill.' He muttered angrily, grabbing my face in his strong hands. 'Jesus, Bella…you're too brave for your own good.'

"You mean stupid…and by the way…" I removed my face from his grasp.

"Where the _FUCK_ have you been? I'm like, SO mad at you right now!"

His strikingly handsome features glowed in the light of the flames as he paced the length of the wide cave, providing me with an excellent view of those delicious abs.

'I'm so sorry. This week has been hectic to say the least.'

"_Sorry_ does not cut it, Jake. You royally ditched me the other night…"

'Not by choice Bella, trust me.'

I scoffed at his words, squeezing water out of my soaked dress.

"Bullshit. You could've at least called or texted instead of hiding in your _pretty little cave_!"

He crouched right in front of my bare feet, giving me a dose of puppy-dog eyes that NO one could ever resist.

'Somebody stole my phone, Bells. I woke up that very same day, wanting to chat with you and read all about your boring English professor…' He grinned.

'but my BlackBerry was gone.'

_OMG…he sounds so sexy and he's wet! Droplets are sliding down his caramel skin…_

Focus, Bella…FOCUS!

"That's your excuse? A missing BB? Are you kidding me?"

He flinched at my harsh tone and rose to his full, intimidating height.

'You're a _feisty_ one, aren't you?'

"Umm…I'm fuckin _feisty_ because of all the weird shit that's been happening lately."

Jacob merely studied my face from his vantage point, towering over me like a bronze giant.

I felt so small in his presence.

Like, _Polly Pocket_ small.

'Do you kiss your mother with that dirty mouth of yours, Swan?'

_McHottie say what?_

I craned my neck to gaze directly at his smirking expression.

He seemed so pleased with himself.

_What da ya know? The gentleman has a naughty side._

*wink*

*wink*

It was either that or he was simply disgusted by my crude language.

_Let's find out, shall we?_

"Nope, but you kissed _me_…and _that_ makes you dirty by association, Mr. Black." I quipped in my sexy _Marilyn Monroe_ impression.

Jacob's pronounced cheekbones turned red in response. He was visibly and undeniably flustered to the core.

'We need to…uh…discuss the _errr_…'

"No, no discussing." I licked my lips, wanting to kiss him so bad.

Unfortunately, the quest for the truth was more important so I stood up and dipped my toe in the icy cove water.

"If you don't tell me the real reason why you've been MIA for the past week, I'll jump in the ocean…I _swear_ I will!"

'Jesus, Bella. Will you calm down?'

He frowned, buttoning up his white shirt in less than five seconds.

"Bye, Jake!"

_Bye abs!_

_Blackmail works better in movies. _

_Seriously._

'Nothing is going to happen if you jump, so go ahead, I won't stop you.'

"Why not?" I prodded.

'Because…' He sighed. 'I deactivated the whirlpool.'

"You did _what?_"

Jacob grabbed my hand and led me to the blue flames.

'This is not a real fire, but it radiates enough energy to make you warm…and _more_.'

"What do you mean by more?"

A devilish grin graced his full lips as he urged me to touch it.

'I promise it's not going to burn you.' He reassured me.

My fingers hesitantly reached into the blaze, feeling its scorching heat on my skin. The burning sensation lasted for a fraction of a second before it faded away.

Electricity coursed through my entire body, drying off my hair and my dress.

The droplets detached from the fabric and then they sort of evaporated.

Poof! Gone...

'You were right, Bella. I'm _not_ from around here.'

I turned to look at him, the seriousness in his deep voice making my heart beat faster.

"Then where are you from? And how did you enter the cave in the first place?"

Jacob stepped closer, his onyx orbs casting a spell on me.

'I used a portal.'

"A…a portal?"

'Yes. It's supposed to be shut down this entire week but I pulled a few strings and managed to open it just in time to save you.'

Oh. My. God.

Portals…another world…

"Grandpa…" I stuttered, feeling dizzy all of a sudden.

'Bella?'

_Grandpa was right._

"Is this a dream?"

Jacob scooped me up in his arms as the world literally started to spin.

'Bells!'

"Twilight zone…' Was all I said before surrendering to darkness.

* * *

**A/N: So? What say you about this chapter? ;D**

**A BIG cupcake greeting to my lovely readers who always take the time to review Pink Mugs and this story as well! I will PM you ladies very soon.  
**

**Thanks as well for those who added this story to their alerts and favorites list.  
**

**This is Bella's gown: **

www(dot)polyvore(dot)com/girls_guide_to_forbidden_romance/set?id=49072116**  
**

**See you next chapter! :)  
**


	9. Mysteries of the Forbidden Cave

**Disclaimer: I do NOT own any of the Twilight characters.  
**

**The plot, however, is all mine.  
**

******Rated M for language.**

* * *

Jacob's kiss brought me out of the abyss.

It was such a cliché thing to do, but it worked.

It was like a rush of blood to the head; a bucket of icy cold water to my senses. I literally bolted upright in his arms, almost bumping noses with him in the process.

'Welcome back, Bells.'

I blinked a few times, my eyes taking in his handsome face.

His crescent-shaped mole was more of a half-moon now, and it made me think of all the things that happened in the past few weeks.

Those strange, unexplainable things.

"Where on earth are you from, Jacob?" I asked, trying not to sound too anxious.

He was currently holding me in his arms, so I chose not to move in case I offended him.

Bella Swan was no _racist_…

'Maybe we should postpone this conversation until later.'

"No. _No_ way."

Jake gave me a –what am I going to do with you?- look before tucking me into his side.

'You just fainted, Bella. This can _wait_.' He stubbornly insisted.

I tossed him a glare in return, folding my arms in front of my chest.

"Look, if you're an alien from another planet, I'll be more than happy to take you on a _tour de earth_…"

He chuckled at my words, moving us closer to the blue flames. He was certainly acting like I weighed nothing.

'I'm definitely not an alien.'

"Umm…then you're a real version of Superman, but your _Krypton_ is still intact, _and_ since you like eating frozen yoghurt then obviously you have cows and stuff on your home planet…" I babbled.

_Jesus, what is wrong with you?_

Jacob shook his head, pursing his full lips to stop himself from laughing out loud.

His eyes were clearly amused by my babbling. They twinkled in the glow of the fire, his irises shining like two brilliant sapphire stones.

_Holy muffin! Even his eyes are changing color._

'Sorry to disappoint you, oh feisty one…but I'm no alien.'

"But you've mentioned that you came here through some kind of portal." I scratched my head in confusion, struggling to wrap my head around this new revelation.

'Yes, I did.' He paused, gazing out into the mouth of the cave. 'Bella, are you familiar with the legend of…'

Jacob's voice trailed off as the ring on his middle finger started blinking on and off.

"What's wrong?" I asked.

'I-I have to go.' He replied rather glumly.

"What? _Noooo_."

He carried me out of the cave, and then pressed a camouflaged button near the entrance.

I had no idea how he was able to spot that tiny thing among the array of mossy rocks, but he did.

"Uh...Jake? How are you going to get me out of here?"

'You'll see.'

The steep hill above -_The Forbidden C_- shimmered like a mirage, and then it turned into a stairway made out of stone.

No kidding.

I was beyond stunned as he carried me up those fifty steps until we reached the main area of the beach where the –no trespassing- sign was located.

"What the fudge?"

Jacob set me down on my feet right outside the stony area.

'You're not going to faint on me again, are you?' He studied my face intently.

_God, he's so damn adorable when he's concerned._

"Nope. I'm good."

I smoothed down my dress, glad for the instant dry cleaning it received courtesy of McHottie's blue flames.

'You...uh...look really beautiful, by the way.'

His sexy deep voice made me blush.

It sounded so NC-17.

"Thanks."

He smiled, running his fingers through his hair. 'I should go…'

"Jake, please tell me where you're from. I won't tell a soul…I promise."

His silver ring flashed in the dark once more, and he retreated to the staircase almost instantly. 'It's an island off the coast. That is all I can say for now…bye Bells.'

_Island?_

He was gone before I was able to ask him any more questions.

"What island?"

Seriously.

As far as I knew, the nearest island off the coast was a private one and it definitely was NOT accessed using a portal.

_So what freakin Island was he talking about?_

* * *

The next morning, I dragged my ass out of bed and tried to convince myself that the previous night was a product of my wild imagination.

_Thank you grandpa!_

A part of me was in total denial.

It refused to accept that Jacob was from some _magical_ island off the coast.

.

.

.

I opened the door to my bathroom and almost didn't recognize my reflection in the mirror. My long hair had a healthy glow to it, and there was a tiny round mole above my upper lip.

My fingers rubbed at the dark spot but it wouldn't go away.

January was the first to notice the mole when we met up for breakfast. She suggested that I book an appointment with my dermatologist to get it checked out.

'Other than that, you seem cheerful for a change; does Jacob have anything to do with it?'

I took a sip of my pink lemonade and decided to give her a short, edited summary of the night before.

'His BlackBerry went missing?'

"Yep."

'And he's 100% single?'

"Uh-huh."

'Did you ask him about his ex? He surely must have an ex-girlfriend?'

"There was no time for me to ask him about his romantic history."

'Well, you should.' My BFF suggested, stabbing my waffle with her fork.

"Hey! That's mine, you greedy cat!"

'I'm merely demonstrating what will happen if you don't act fast, Bella.'

"Act fast regarding what?"

'Jacob…_DUH_.' She rolled her eyes while chewing on my breakfast.

'Some other girl is gonna swoop in and _snatch_ him from you.'

"Nice. Thanks for the visual."

'Swoop in hun, don't forget. Swoop in…' She repeated.

"Yeah. Okay...I got the freakin message!"

* * *

That night, and after a long study session at the library, I stopped by the grocery store and bought a couple of things for dinner.

Mom was still at work so I heated up my frozen lasagna and sat down in front of the plasma TV.

Thirty minutes later, the French doors slid open and Jean Paul walked in from the backyard in nothing but a towel. His auburn hair was wet from the pool and so were the rest of his well-defined muscles.

'Bonsoir.' He greeted me in his French accent.

"Right back at ya."

He sniffed the air like a hungry dog and I felt sorry for him.

My mother was too busy to feed him. Obviously.

"Umm…there's some leftover lasagna in the microwave."

Jean Paul's almond shaped eyes flickered to the empty plate in my lap.

'You are done eating?'

"Yep…my tank is full, so go help yourself to the rest."

He hesitated in the doorway, and I could tell that he was bored to the core.

Poor guy.

Juliana was probably keeping him under house arrest so that none of our _desperate_ neighbors would see him, including Mrs. Yvonne.

'Merci.' He smiled before strutting down the corridor.

I couldn't resist sneaking a peek at his sexy back.

Yeah he was super hot but Jacob was WAY _hotter_.

I'd totally spread him on a cracker.

Yummy.

~xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo~

After dinner, I took a quick shower then changed into my –Bite Me- PJs.

My brain was not in the mood for _analysis mode_ so I went downstairs to the kitchen where Jean Paul was nice enough to make me a cup of vanilla latte.

He told me all about his bartending experience in Paris and how he was a certified mixologist

'I once made a drink for _z_ famous actress Marion Cotillard.' He boasted.

"Oooh I know her. She's so beautiful."

'_Oui_...yes, _très chic_ too.'

The doorbell rang all of a sudden, and JP offered to be my doorman so I gratefully smiled and watched him cat-walk his way to the foyer.

He opened the door in his faded jeans and wet hair, looking like an _Abercrombie_ & _Fitch __model. _

January was so going to kill me if she found out that I had a _French_ male model in the house.

No kidding.

"Who is it?" I asked, hopping off my stool.

JP turned to look at me, his slightly intimidated expression making my heart skip a beat.

'It's me.'

A deep voice answered on behalf of the photogenic model.

I swallowed hard as my feet carried me closer to the door.

Jacob was standing there, his broad shouldered frame blocking the entire doorway. He was at least six inches taller than Jean Paul, dressed in a black leather jacket and a sexy pair of jeans.

"Jake, what are you doing here?"

Both men were engaged in a weird, staring competition that lasted for a few seconds before JP retreated to the kitchen.

'I thought you said you didn't have a boyfriend.'

Jacob's dark eyes landed on me and he did NOT look happy.

"Boyfriend?" I frowned. "Oh you mean…no…_no_! Jean is not my boyfriend."

McHottie's penetrating gaze made me feel uncomfortable. I felt so exposed in my PJs and damp hair.

_Oh crap!_

He must've thought that I was _entertaining_ a half-naked French dude in my bedroom.

"It's not what it looks like, I swear!"

Jacob put a finger on my lips, effectively shutting me up.

'You don't owe me an explanation, Bella. I'm not here to judge you.'

"But…"

He leaned forward to look me straight in the eye, his thumb tracing the curve of my upper lip. 'We're just friends so you're free to do whatever you want.'

OH.

_Just friends my ass._

"Friends…" I repeated in disappointment.

'Yes.'

_Bullshit_…I wanted to say, but he was already handing me a piece of paper with his new BB pin scribbled on it.

'I purchased a new BlackBerry.'

_Yeah, go ahead and change the subject, dear friend._

"Cool…umm...I'll add you."

He smiled, but it didn't reach his gorgeous eyes.

'Very well then, I'll talk to you later.'

"Sure."

_Whatever…_

I seriously wanted to slam the door in his face.

_Friends?_

_He kissed me twice for God's sake!_

Who the fudge does he think he is?

"Actually, you know what?"

'What?'

"I'm gonna _add_ you as soon as I'm done having SEX with my fuck buddy. Yeah, you heard me! He's in there waiting for round two so I don't care what you think, Jacob Black. I really, truly, _deeply_ don't!" I ranted rather loudly.

My temper was dangerously escalating, and so was my heart rate for that matter.

'Good.' He shot back in an equally irritated tone.

"Fine!"

'Great!'

He tossed a glare in my direction as he descended the porch steps.

"Good night, friend!" I shouted after him.

'Isabella? Everything ok?' JP popped his head in the corridor, having heard the violent slamming of the door.

"Yep. Everything is JUST dandy!"

* * *

**A/N: Excuse Bella's _French. _She's really pissed at Jacob. **

**Men...*eye roll*  
**

**Is Jacob trying to do the right thing by insisting on the whole _friends_ thing?  
**

**Bear with me, because we're just getting started ;D  
**


	10. Flavor of The Month

**Disclaimer: I do NOT own any of the Twilight characters.  
**

**The plot, however, is all mine.  
**

******Rated M for language.**

* * *

"Mom, what's this?"

I dropped the rectangular box on her canopy bed, demanding an explanation for the expensive lingerie I found inside.

She arched an eyebrow, looking glamorous in her designer dress.

'_That_ is a gift box from _Agent Provocateur_.'

"Umm…why did you leave it in my room?"

Her purple Manolos clicked loudly as she walked to her antique dressing table.

She was getting ready to go out with a bunch of ladies who idolized her fashion sense.

They were more of a clique really.

'I left it in your room because the brassieres are in your size, Isabella.'

_Ugh…I hated the word brassieres._

"Mom…I'm not really into fancy underwear so you can give the bag to someone else, maybe an intern at your company or something."

Juliana sighed impatiently, folding her toned arms in front of her chest.

'You are turning down a rather expensive weapon of seduction, young lady.'

"_Seduction?_ Are you serious?" I snorted.

'Yes. I _am_ serious.' She frowned. 'Jean Paul told me about the young man who stopped by the house last night.'

_Uh-oh_

"So?"

'So, who is he? Because I'm looking forward to meeting him.'

"Whoa! Let's not jump the gun here, mother."

Her red lips formed a thin line as she adjusted her pearl necklace in the mirror.

'Jump the gun? You, my dearest daughter should be in a relationship by now.'

Her eyes were cold and calculating when she turned around to face me. 'A _real_ relationship with a normal boy who can offer you a bright future.'

"I can make my own future, _mom_."

_Unlike you_…

She flashed me her famous condescending smile and grabbed her silver clutch.

'Your teenage enthusiasm will fade away with time, Isabella.'

"No it won't."

'I was once a teenager you know.'

_Here we go again…_

"Yeah, but here's the thing. I'm not you, alright?"

'No you're not.' She shook her head. 'But you're still a Swan, and _Swans_ do not fall in love.'

_Yeah, because they're gold-diggers_…I wanted to say but instead, I leaned against the doorway and listened to her grand speech.

'Keep your emotions in check, and _never_ get attached. Heartbreak at your age can be devastating.'

.

.

.

My mother's advice made me so angry to the point where I had to leave the room in order to stop myself from calling her a frigid bitch.

She didn't come after me as predicted, and I didn't want her to.

* * *

The sun was warm and satisfyingly pleasant as I stretched my legs on the grass, waiting for January to arrive. We were supposed to eat our lunch outdoors for a change.

I propped my head on my Diesel bag and closed my eyes, trying not to think about Jacob.

There was no excuse for my silly behavior the other night. I could blame it on PMS or my teenage hormones but it all boiled down to the fact that I didn't like being labeled as a friend. Not by him.

He was probably under the impression that I was a harlot; a friends with benefits type of gal, thanks to Jean Paul.

_Ugh…_

_._

_._

_._

I was too lost in my own head to notice that a shadow was blocking my Vitamin D intake.

A tall, broad shouldered shadow.

'Isabella Swan?'

My eyes fluttered open to find a pair of electric blue ones gazing down at me. I sat up on my elbows, craning my neck to admire the strands of silky white hair that fell into those compelling eyes.

"Y-y-es?"

'Do you mind if I join you?' The twenty something year-old asked me.

His body rivaled Jacob's in terms of height and muscle density.

Those two must be related 'cause _hot damn_…I needed to fan myself.

"No. I don't mind."

_Who could say no to you? You're like a real-life anime dude._

Mystery guy sat across from me on the grass, his bright orbs studying my face for a few seconds.

'I'm Jacob's cousin…_Tristan_.'

"Oh."

_My instincts were right after all…_

'You seem surprised and that's understandable considering how little you know about him.'

"Umm...Is that what you're here for? To make sure that I don't tell anyone else about the cave?"

Tristan's eyes widened in response.

He was clearly sent here to interrogate me.

'I can see why Jacob has taken an interest in you. You're smart and beautiful for a _human_.'

_Whoa...what's with _the_ cocky _attitude_?_

"You say _human_ like it's an insult or something."

He assessed me carefully, tapping his thick fingers against his chin.

'I didn't mean to offend you and I'm not implying that _we_ are aliens…'

"Then what are _you_ exactly?"

Tristan chuckled at my question, his sharp-looking incisors scaring the hell out of me. 'We are a _very_ proud race, Miss Swan. Our ancestors had the knowledge that no on else possessed.'

"Why are you telling me this?"

He leaned in closer, his irises glinting in the light of the sun.

'I think you already know the answer to that particular question, Isabella. See, Jacob is unlike any guy you've ever met. He belongs to another world that is governed by extremely powerful people.'

'Did he tell you about his uncle?'

"No."

'Jacob's uncle died forty years ago after he was accused of breaking a certain number of rules that were designed to limit our contact with humans.'

'Jacob is allowed to bend those rules for a reason I cannot disclose. However, this does not exempt him from punishment or death.'

"D-death?" I swallowed hard, remembering his blood-stained armor.

_Someone really did try to kill him._

'Yes. _Death_. Do you want him to die?'

"No, of course not!"

'Then don't encourage him to come here.' Tristan's voice was deadly serious and boy, was it intimidating.

"Fine, I won't."

'Good girl.' He patted my leg before getting up in one fluid motion.

'You are simply the flavor of the month, Miss Swan. Jacob can never be committed to you in any shape or form. It is prohibited by law.'

"You have a law against interracial marriage?"

'Yes. Your relationship with Jacob is strictly forbidden.'

"Yay for me."

Tristan smiled in sympathy, then he shook my hand and left.

He was totally oblivious to the number of students who were openly gaping at him as he walked across the stretch of green grass to get to the gate.

'Wow. Who is that hunk?' January asked from behind me.

I turned around to face her, barely registering the armful of paper bags she was carrying.

"That's Jacob's cousin."

'Holy guacamole! Are you serious?'

* * *

Flavor of the month.

Huh.

Well, that explains why Jacob insisted on being friends.

His gentlemanly behavior did not suggest that he was a player. On the contrary, he could've taken advantage of me on so many occasions but he didn't.

His kisses were chaste and gentle and he was definitely NOT a horny pervert.

So why did Tristan tell me that I was the flavor of the month?

_Why?_

I wanted to be his _one and only_ flavor; his favorite muffin.

.

.

.

My BlackBerry buzzed with another BBM message from January.

I was running late for Leo's birthday party which was held in an open- air club/lounge down by the beach.

_**Where r u? We r abt 2 cut the cake! :O**_

I checked my reflection in the mirror one more time before texting her back.

**~I'll b there in 5!~**

The phone buzzed again while I was putting on my glittery peep-toe heels.

"Jesus…" I muttered after reading her annoying reply.

_**Yeah. Right. U r never on time, biatch! *eye roll***_

_**Jake says hi btw. Thx 4 letting me add him ;)**_

Yes.

I let my BFF take his BB pin since I was too embarrassed to add him myself.

Why? Because of my –fuck buddy- speech of course.

January was adamant on making me suffer, so she added him on BlackBerry messenger in order to keep an eye on his _love life _for me.

Haha.

Too bad I couldn't tell her about the whole forbidden thing.

Anyways…

My mother interrupted my train of thought when she handed me my cocktail clutch.

'Don't forget this.'

"Ah yes…thanks."

I grabbed Leo's gift bag and rushed down the stairs.

Having my mother at home felt incredibly weird yet nice at the same time. She actually helped me get dressed and even volunteered to straighten my hair for the very first time.

Jean Paul was surprisingly a positive influence on her. She was less of a frigid monster around him, and I caught her kissing him in the driveway the other day.

The woman also offered me the keys to her Mercedes convertible!

I swung them back and forth on my way to the garage.

_Tonight couldn't get any better._

~xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo~

A big ball of fur greeted me at the entrance of the club.

It practically jumped at me and started licking my face like it was an ice-cream cone.

"Alpha?"

The white husky yapped in reply, circling my legs as I climbed the steps that led to the terrace. The club was closed for the season but Leo was good friends with the owner so he allowed him to host his B-day party in the VIP section.

I couldn't stop smiling at the sight of Alpha waiting for me at the top of the stairs.

He was too damn adorable.

Chill-out music drifted from the speakers, merging with the ocean waves in the background.

The view from the terrace was breathtaking and so was the tall, broad shouldered guy who was standing behind Leo.

'Bella!'

Leo pulled me into a brief hug, but I was too distracted by Jacob's presence to hug him back.

'Thanks for coming.'

"Sure…sure." I handed him his birthday gift, exchanging a quick glance with Jake who was sipping on a glass of champagne.

_What the fudge?_

'You're finally here! My God, Bella. What took you so long?' January rushed to my side to prevent me from bolting because _that_ was what I had in mind when my eyes fell on McHottie.

"Did you fucking invite him?" I whispered in her ear.

'Yes I did.' She smirked. 'Oooh…he's _so_ checking you out right now.'

My face erupted into a firework of blushes, feeling the heat of his stare on my body.

"You should've told me, Jan."

'Look, it was supposed to be a surprise, ok?'

I watched as Alpha trotted across the wooden floor with a balloon in tow. He sat by Jacob's feet and pawed at the blue latex until it suddenly popped in his mouth.

"Ugh…I hate you."

My BFF chuckled, then tugged on my hand. 'Come on, go say hi.'

I refused to move, so _crazy J_ decided to push me instead!

Leo's friends were busy discussing some geeky online game as I went flying straight into Jacob's arms.

_Shit!_

My short frame crashed into his chest, causing his champagne glass to tip over, spilling the yellow liquid all over his button-up shirt.

Alpha caught the glass in mid-air and everyone started clapping all of a sudden.

'Good dog!' Leo exclaimed.

Jake smelled divine as I clung to his shirt, my face buried in the crook of his neck. I was too mortified to look him in the eye.

'Oops...sorry Bella! I didn't mean to _push_ you that hard.'

January patted my shoulder apologetically, then she _innocently_ asked me if I could take _him_ to the bathroom.

"Umm…yeah, sure."

I ducked my head and gestured for him to follow me down the stairs.

~xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo~

The trip to the bathroom was a short, silent one.

The tension, however, was thick as hell.

Jacob resembled a giant inside the small, vacant room.

He towered over everything, including the mirror.

I leaned against the door, sneaking a look at his face while he unbuttoned his olive green shirt. My eyes traveled the length of his torso, ogling his smooth russet skin.

He was ridiculously attractive; the type of guy who probably dated a million girls and had a zillion ex-girlfriends.

'Talk to me, Bells.'

His deep voice was music to my ears. It felt _so_ damn good to hear it again.

_Ugh…_

_O-kay. Stop thinking about this! _

_You are NOT the flavor of the month._

'I get it…you're giving me the silent treatment.'

"N-n-no. I'm not."

His brooding expression made him look extra sexy. I literally had to hold my breath when he finally took off his shirt.

'Did you miss me?'

_McHottie say what?_

My clutch suddenly slipped from my sweaty hand and fell to the floor, causing the pineapple lid to open upon impact.

_Everything _came tumbling out onto the linoleum surface, including my BlackBerry, a handful of tissues and two square foil packets...

Huh?

Jacob bent down and picked up my clutch as I stood there, frozen like a statue, gaping at the condoms!

_What the…_

His nostrils flared when he saw those foil packets but he said nothing as he handed me back my stuff.

"Jake…"

'Don't…just don't.' He held up his hand, jealousy flashing in his dark eyes.

Oh my God.

He _was _jealous.

"Jake, I'm a VIRGIN, okay?" I blurted out, throwing the stupid condoms in the trash can. "That French guy you met the other night…he's my mother's _fuck buddy_…so yeah…now you know."

_Eeeew…I just said mother and fuck buddy in the same sentence._

'So you're not…' He swallowed thickly 'sexually active?'

"Nope." It was my turn to stutter and blush. "I'm…uh…still chaste or whatever."

_Jeez…way to go, Bella._

'I see.' Jacob smirked while examining his stained shirt.

'Why did you pretend otherwise?'

"Because…"

'Yes?'

_Because I like you…you idiot._

"I got upset when you said that we were friends...there, I said it."

_Phew!_

_Honesty sucks…seriously._

'So you don't want us to be friends…'

I shifted uncomfortably on my heels and caught him staring at my legs out of the corner of my eye.

_Sneaky, sneaky gentleman._

"No...look, here's the thing. I can't be _just friends_ with a guy I'm attracted to. It's hard…no pun intended, and frustrating! I'm a teenager, Jake, so please have mercy on my hormones!"

He chuckled in response and it brightened up his entire face.

'It's NOT funny.' I smacked his russet arm.

'Sorry, Bells. You're right. It's not.'

"Yeah. I mean, it's bad enough that I fantasize about you in the middle of English class…"

_Shit._

_Did I just say that out loud?_

'Y-you do?'

Jacob dropped his shirt in the sink, and stepped closer to me.

I nodded, feeling _so_ freakin humiliated.

'How often do you _fantasize_ about me?'

His naked chest rose and fell rapidly as he leaned forward and locked the door, his warm breath tickling my face as he did so.

"Jake…I-I can't…this is inappropriate."

'Why? Because we're _friends_?'

"Yeah…"

My turquoise bra must've been pretty visible from his vantage point since he averted his gaze the moment I looked up.

"Stop staring at my boobs."

Seeing him get flustered was meant to lighten the mood but the plan backfired and the sexual tension got much _worse_.

'Jesus, Bells.' He sexily groaned into my ear. 'Do you have any idea how _devilishly_ pure you sound?'

His hands found purchase of my waist, kneading the sequins on my top. I shuddered in response, wanting him to kiss me so bad; my lips were begging for it.

"Jake…you're killing me here." I moaned.

'Sorry.' He apologized, his nose nudging my cheek.

His mouth planted a kiss on my heated skin before he pulled me into an affectionate hug.

I stiffened at the unexpected gesture.

My body was definitely _not_ used to such a warm display of affection.

_Holly muffin. This is so confusing._

Tears clouded my eyes as I hugged him back, feeling like a teddy bear in his embrace.

'What's with the waterworks, honey?'

_OMG…he called me honey!_

"Please don't die, Jake." I sniffed.

'Ah…Tristan told you about my uncle, didn't he?'

"Yeah. He told me a lot of awful things."

Jacob stroked my hair in a soothing manner; I almost fell asleep in his arms.

'_Christ_…I had no idea.'

"He also said that I was your _flavor of the month_."

The gentle stroking stopped and I landed back on my heels once Jake let go of me.

'He what?'

The murderous expression on Jake's face made me snap my mouth shut.

'That bastard…'

"Jake, its fine. I'm sure he had your best interest at heart."

'I know, but he crossed the line, Bella.'

"Tristan is your cousin. He cares about you and that's what matters. Besides, you've already established yourself as an international _playboy_." I teased, referring to his multilingual skills.

'My mother raised me to be a gentleman.' He remarked, sounding extremely posh.

"Jeez, Black. Lighten up, will ya? It doesn't take a scientist to figure out that you're a _refined_ man."

'Refined?'

"Yeah. You kiss like a gentleman and you probably...umm...fuck like one too."

_Oops...I did it again!_

"Sorry! That was _so_ vulgar…I'm sorry."

'Don't be sorry. I happen to like your dirty mouth.' His thumb traced my lower lip, effectively sending my hormones into a frenzy.

"_Jaaake_. You can't say stuff like that."

'Why not?'

I pushed at his chest, the F-word putting a downer on this extremely sexy situation.

"Because we're friends, silly."

It was incredibly satisfying to see him cringe at my words.

'Touché, Miss Swan.'

"That's right. You can't have your cake and eat it too, especially if the cake was forbidden."

'I know…' He nodded. 'But what if you're destined to eat that cake. What if it belongs to you?'

The conflict in his eyes was as clear as daylight.

"And what if it kills you, Jake? Huh?"

'I'll take my chances.'

.

.

.

'Bella? Jake? Are you guys in there?' January knocked on the door, interrupting the moment as usual.

"Yeah. We'll be out in a minute!" I shouted.

'Alright…'

Jacob carefully put on his shirt which was not only dry, but also stain-free.

"Wow. How did you…?"

'I didn't do anything. It's stain-resistant.'

"Oh. Okay."

'So, where do we go from here, Bells?' Jacob sighed, turning to look at me.

"Umm…let's eat some _real_ cake then we'll decide."

* * *

**A/N: Jacob's indecision is based on what you read in this chapter.  
**

**The whole forbidden aspect of his relationship with Bella will be discussed further in chapter 11. The pace will pick up from now on and more will be revealed in the coming chapters.  
**

**Thanks again for the reviews! :) **

**I really appreciate your thoughts and I know things are a little confusing but I'm having so much fun keeping you guessing.  
**

**This is Bella's birthday outfit: **

** www(dot)polyvore(dot)com/girls_guide_to_forbidden_romance/set?id=49497351  
**

**See you next chapter!  
**


	11. Interview with a Gentleman

**A/N: I just read the reviews for chapter 10 and was surprised to find that someone had actually figured out where Jacob is originally from! ;D  
**

**Disclaimer: I do NOT own any of the Twilight characters.  
**

**The plot, however, is all mine.  
**

******Rated M for adult content and language.**

* * *

**Suggested listening: Marina & the Diamonds- Primadonna**

**Nouvelle Vague: In a Manner of Speaking**

* * *

Jacob turned out to be a cheesecake person.

He was also a big fan of Gotye, Florence and the Machine as well as Massive Attack.

He gave vague answers whenever someone asked him about his birthplace, yet for some reason, most of Leo's friends didn't mind the air of mystery surrounding my man.

_Oops…did I say my man?_

I meant, my _mysterious_ man.

He was polite, eloquent and charming.

Thierry, one of Leo's hipster friends got into a deep discussion with Jacob on mainstream culture and the latest foreign films.

Of course, since Jake spoke like, a hundred languages, he was able to recite a number of French, Spanish and Russian titles that made Thierry's eyes roll to the back of his head like he'd just had an _eargasm_.

Ugh…

I almost barfed when I saw Olive and June make the moves on McHottie a while later, tossing their cheap blonde hair and boobs in his face.

_There was no chance in hell that we'd stay friends for more than a week!_

No way.

Apparently, Mr. Gentleman wanted things to unfold naturally.

He uttered more crap about destiny and how we should take things slow.

_Right_…because I was a horny teenager with a one-track mind.

_Bitch, please…_

You should've seen the way he stared at my legs. Every time I crossed and uncrossed those babies, his eyes would suggestively linger on my heels.

Oh, and when I asked him to dance, he declined and opted to watch me instead.

He leaned against the bar and sipped on another glass of champagne while I danced to the song _Primadonna_, jumping and twirling with Alpha in tow.

January laughed at my unusual enthusiasm as I waved my hands in the air, watching Jacob chuckle from the corner of my eye.

Later that night, he offered to walk me to my mother's Mercedes after we both said goodbye to Leo and his gang.

My feet were killing me from all the dancing so I took off my shoes in the parking lot and suddenly found myself in the presence of an Über giant.

"Jeez, how tall are you?"

'I'm six foot five.'

"Wow. It runs in the family, huh?"

Jacob nodded, running his fingers through his long hair.

"You have _amazing_ genes, by the way." I complimented him.

'Thanks. I guess I was lucky enough to inherit the best traits.'

"No kidding."

I unlocked the convertible and tossed my heels in the back seat.

'Is this your car?'

"Nope. My dream ride is the Shelby Mustang GT."

He quirked an eyebrow in response.

'A Mustang?'

"Yep. You got a problem with that?" I playfully nudged his side.

My brain conjured up an image of the two of us, making out in the driver's seat of a cherry-red _'Stang_.

_Hot damn_…_I do have a one-track mind._

'No. Not at all. Most of the ladies I know are into smaller cars, like the _Mini Cooper_.'

"_Pfft_…Mini Coopers are toys, my friend. Nothing compares to the engine of a Mustang. It's powerful, sexy and simply orgasmic."

My passionate speech caused a shift in Jacob's expression.

I knew that he was _slightly_ buzzed from the alcohol he'd consumed but I had no idea that I had the power to turn him _on_ just by mentioning my favorite car.

All of the friendship crap went flying out the window when he suddenly leaned forward and kissed me.

I willingly parted my lips for his tongue, allowing him to push me up against the side of the car.

The familiar jolts of electricity heightened the experience as I nipped his lower lip; my tongue eagerly exploring his champagne flavored mouth.

His hands tightened on my waist, effectively pinning me to the cool metal surface while he kissed me slowly, almost teasingly.

_He definitely did not kiss like a gentleman. _

His muscled frame rippled at my touch as my fingers traveled south, feeling the breadth of his shoulders and the way his breath hitched whenever I squeezed his firm biceps.

I never really understood how a kiss could lead to sex until I felt his obvious erection against my stomach.

It was getting harder and harder for us to stop so when Jacob detached his lips from mine for much needed air; I whined in protest then clung to his neck like a horny muffin.

"Kiss me again." I panted into his collarbone.

'I think that…we should call it a night, Bells.' He painfully declared.

"Why?"

Jake daringly took my hand and guided it to his zipper.

He really was straight to the point, wasn't he?

'This is why.' He replied before letting go of me entirely.

I blushed, trying _hard_ not to stare at the tent in his pants.

'I'm sorry…that was inappropriate.'

The gentleman in him apologized, turning around briefly so that he could adjust his _major_ hard-on.

"Do you hear me complaining?"

I licked my lips, leaning against the Mercedes for support.

Alpha climbed out from underneath the car all of a sudden and started licking my hand.

I secretly wondered if he fully understood what just happened between me and his sexy human-friend.

Haha.

'The things that come out of your mouth.' Jacob sighed, giving me a heated look.

"Need a hand, Jake?"

'Bella…' His lust-filled voice was so x-rated; it made my lady parts tingle.

"Sorry."

'Don't be. I'm the one who kissed you.'

I watched him smooth down his shirt and felt Alpha nuzzle my palm one last time before sprinting towards the beach.

'We should get going.'

"Why? It's not even one in the morning yet."

Jacob reached out and ruffled my hair in a playful manner.

'I'll see you soon, okay?'

"How soon?" I asked.

'Sooner than soon.' He dropped a quick kiss on my pouty lips and walked off before I could stop him.

'Bye, Bells.'

.

.

_Eh?_

"Jacob Black! You call that a goodnight kiss?"

* * *

The next morning, I woke up to the smell of pancakes and discovered that Jean Paul had cooked us breakfast before heading to the beach.

My mother was in the kitchen though, leafing through Vogue Magazine while sipping on her coffee.

I instantly confronted her about the condoms and she confessed to putting them in my clutch.

"Jesus, mom. I'm not sexually active, ok?"

'But you will be, eventually…'

I rolled me eyes and helped myself to JP's excellent pancakes.

"I'm capable of buying my own condoms."

_Yeah, and X-large is definitely Jake's size._

'Fine. Suite yourself.' She rose from her chair and placed her coffee mug in the sink. 'I'm running late for pilates so I'll see you at lunch.'

"Lunch?"

Wow.

It's been ages since we've had lunch together.

'Yes, and Isabella?'

"Yeah?"

'Watch your figure. I don't want you gaining any more weight.'

_Fuck._

That's why I _hated_ having her home over the weekend!

"Sure."

Whatever.

* * *

Juliana drove us to an expensive sushi restaurant for lunch.

Her friend Amelia tagged along and so did her perfect daughter, Claudia who was engaged to her high school sweetheart.

I was forced to listen to her gush about her wonderful fiancé while picking at my food.

The portions were too small and not so tasty.

I was contemplating crossing the street and buying a Big Mac meal from McDonald's but _mother_ was eyeing me like a hawk.

Jake kept me entertained throughout my boring afternoon and told me that he was traveling to an island (somewhere in the Pacific Ocean) without revealing any specific details regarding the purpose of this visit.

He did, however, promise to meet me at the local library for a Q and A session later that day.

~xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo~

In the meantime, I decided to go shopping for a Halloween costume at _Sluts "R" Us_, with January as my official outfit consultant via BBM.

The actual name of the store was generic and cliché, hence the nickname.

It sold the most outrageous costumes that I have ever seen.

I plucked a few dresses from their hangers and proceeded to try them on inside the dressing room.

January sent me an annoying _PING_ so I wrestled myself into the tight, leather corset dress and read her message.

**LadyJ: R U in the dressing room?**

**B : _Yep_**

**LadyJ: Send me a PIC :D**

The flimsy piece of fabric left nothing to the imagination but I liked the way it enhanced my small breasts.

**B: _Haha. Ok. U Pervert :P_**

**LadyJ: I'm the perv? LOL! Look who's talking. **

**B: _Ok. Wait a sec_**

I snapped a quick photo using my BlackBerry before scrolling down my BBM contact list and sending it to January.

.

.

.

**LadyJ: Where's the pic? :O**

**B: _I already sent it!_**

Oh, crap.

My eyes widened in mortification once I realized that I'd accidentally sent the photo to JACOB whose name was directly above January.

"Shit."

There it was…the tiny chat box with a thumbnail image of my slutty dress.

_**J. Black is writing a message…**_

I banged my head repeatedly against the mirror, feeling like a complete idiot and cursed my stupid thumb for choosing the wrong contact.

My phone suddenly buzzed with an incoming message from the man himself whose status was set to busy since he was stuck at work on a _Sunday_.

_**J. Black: **_**Please tell me ur not going to _actually_ wear this in public.**

**B: _U weren't supposed 2 see this. It was meant 4 Jan!_**

_**J. Black: **_**Sexting ur best friend? Ur definitely full of surprises, Swan ;)**

**B: _Haha. Would U rather I sexted U?_**

_**J. Black: **_**People usually go out on a date (or more) before sex enters the equation.**

**B: _Mmm…too bad Mr. Black. Coz U'd make one hell of a booty call ;D_**

_**J. Black: **_**Don't tempt me, honey ;)**

* * *

Later that night, I waited for Jacob at the top floor of the ancient library with my list of endless questions.

I literally felt his presence before I saw him.

His midnight eyes scanned the first floor in search for me, his confident stride and intimidating height making him the center of attention in the not so crowded library.

There was something unearthly beautiful in the way he moved, his long legs clad in perfectly fitted pants and a pair of suede shoes. His v-neck sweater hugged his broad shoulders and molded to his biceps as if it was custom-made for his body.

Our eyes met once he reached the top of the staircase and I instantly felt a faint throbbing right above my upper-lip.

The throbbing intensified as Jacob got closer, his gaze zeroing in on my lips.

'Hey.'

"Hi."

He bent down and kissed me in full sight of the entire second floor, his tongue sweeping across my lower lip, coaxing it open.

The kiss was sweet and sensual but it was also too short for my liking.

It lasted for a mere thirty seconds, and I was certain that we had somehow crossed the _friendship _line for good.

'I'm sorry…I just had to get this out of the way first.'

My brain was still recovering from the kiss as he sat down next to me with a bashful expression on his face.

'Is that the list of questions you wanted to ask me?' He picked up the sheet of paper, resting his other arm on the table.

"Yeah."

Jacob read the questions carefully and without hesitation.

I crossed my fingers and waited until he was finished.

The anticipation was killing me.

'How did Alpha find you the night you were drugged? Well, that's simple. He tracked your scent and I followed him. You see, the collar around his neck has a built-in tracking device'

"Really?"

'Yes.' He nodded. 'As for Tristan, he was able to locate you using a high-tech gadget that can be wirelessly connected to Alpha's snout.'

"Oh. Now this sounds like a scent detecting walkie-talkie."

'Not exactly.' Jacob chuckled at my words, amusement glinting in his onyx eyes.

"Tell me more about your people." I prodded.

'What would you like to know?'

"Where are you originally from?"

Jacob studied my face, his inner-conflict showing in his dark orbs.

'You won't believe me, Bells.'

"Try me."

McHottie rose from his chair and asked me to accompany him to the Greek mythology section.

'This stays between us.' He gave me a pointed look, and I pretended to lock my mouth and throw away the key.

"Of course."

'I mean it, Bells. Your memory is at risk here.'

"My memory?"

'Yes. Have you ever watched the movie _Men in Black_?' He asked while searching the stacks.

"Yep."

'Well, the memory-erasing device used in the movie is actually based on a prototype invented by my people.'

"Whoa..seriously?"

'Yes. One flash and your memory of _me_ is gone.'

"Ouch..."

'I'm not kidding.'

"Jesus, Jake! I won't tell a soul, okay?"

'Good.'

"What are you looking for, by the way? Maybe I can help." I offered.

'Plato's Timaeus.'

"I know that book. We're required to read it for Greek mythology class. It contains the first account in literature of Atlantis."

Jacob froze in his tracks.

'Yes it does, and that's where I'm originally from, Bella.'

.

.

.

"You're from _Atlantis?_"

* * *

**A/N: Finally. A chunk of this mystery has been revealed.**

**Thanks for reading!**


	12. Atlantis 101

**Disclaimer: I do NOT own any of the Twilight characters.  
**

**The plot, however, is all mine.  
**

******Rated M for language.**

* * *

"Atlantis? Holly muffin."

I covered my mouth with the palm of my hand and sank down to the carpet.

'Yes. My ancestors lived there until the island sank into the ocean.'

Sadness lingered in the air as Jacob crouched to my level, his broad shoulders blocking the entire bookshelf behind him.

The guy made the library look like a _Lego_ setup.

Seriously.

"So the legends are true…"

'Most of Plato's writings are true, yes. Atlantis was hit by an earthquake, forcing my people to flee the island. Those who survived sought refugee in Africa and parts of Asia.'

"Wow…_wow…_I'm sorry, Jake but I need a minute."

'Of course…listen, Bells. I know this is a _lot_ to take in.'

My perverted mind twisted Jacob's words, making them sound deliciously x-rated.

"Jake, just shut up..._please_."

Hysterical laughter erupted from my mouth as I rolled on the floor, attracting the attention of everyone in the vicinity, including the assistant librarian who shushed the hell out of me.

Jacob apologized on my behalf and lifted me off the floor before carrying me down the stairs like I was a life-size Barbie.

Mrs. Grey, the librarian, rose from her chair in concern the moment she saw me.

'Isabella? Are you okay, dear?'

She scanned Plato's book after I handed her my library card, keeping one hand clasped on my silly mouth.

A muffled –yes- was enough to put her at ease, especially when she noticed Jacob's arm around my waist.

She actually _blushed_ when he gave her a courteous nod on our way out.

Once we were outside, I squirmed against his crotch, forcing him to release me.

'Christ, Bella.' He groaned as I turned around to face him.

The hungry look in his eyes did wonders for my ego.

"Sorry."

McHottie licked his full lips and guided me to a nearby café.

'This mouth of yours needs to be silenced with food or else...'

.

.

"Come on, finish your sentence." I squeezed his bicep, running my nails down the soft fabric of his sweater.

'Or else…I'm going to succumb to your teasing and we won't be doing any talking.' He hinted in a husky voice.

"But I love teasing you, Mr. Atlantis."

* * *

The strawberry-blonde waitress showed us to our booth and handed us our menus after giving Jacob one heck of a flirtatious smile.

"Did you see that?"

'See what?' He sighed.

"She was totally _eye-fucking_ you." I remarked.

'I know.' The gentleman smirked while scanning his menu.

.

.

.

"Can I ask you a question?"

'Sure.'

"If your ancestors bumped shoulders with the rest of human kind, then how come they didn't…you know." I wiggled my eyebrows suggestively. "Procreate and give birth to hybrid babies?"

'That is because they were treated as _demigods_. The Ancient Egyptians held them in high regard and built temples in their honor.'

"Really?"

'Yes, and in return, the Atlanteans aided them in building the pyramids and provided them with the required technology to quarry rocks and such.'

"That's amazing."

I clearly saw the pride in Jacob's midnight eyes.

He sounded so sexy whenever he spoke openly and freely about his world, so I leaned across the table and kissed him.

"Did they invent kissing too?"

'Probably.' He panted against my lips

'_Ahem!_'

We were rudely interrupted by our _lovely_ waitress who was in a hurry to take our order.

The tall blonde shot me a dirty look as she jotted down my order which consisted of vanilla milkshake and a blueberry muffin.

_What a Biatch!_

'Bells..'

"Mmmm?"

'Stop shooting daggers at the poor girl. She seems exhausted and in need of a kind word.' Jacob observed.

"Kind words my ass. I didn't say anything to her and yet she's giving me the stink-eye."

Jacob tugged on my hand and asked me to join him in his booth.

'Let me show you how it's done.' He whispered before turning his attention to our waitress whose name tag said _Melissa_.

She served Jake his drink _first _and he thanked her and urged me to do the same.

"Yeah, thanks for the umm…shake."

'Melissa? Has anyone ever told you that you look like _Elena_ from The Vampire Diaries?'

_McHottie say what?_

Melissa's face brightened considerably at Jake's compliment. She twirled her hair and actually giggled in response.

'I love TVD! But no…no one thinks I look like Nina Dobrev. She's so pretty.'

'Well, so are you.'

Melissa giggled some more and moments later, she was smiling down at me and refilling my milkshake, saying it was _on the house_.

Jacob thanked her again and left her a big-ass tip when he paid the bill.

I was truly impressed by him and not because of the generous tip.

He genuinely cared about other people, unlike the assholes I knew.

William treated waiters like shit and so did my high school ex (who shall not be named).

.

.

.

"You _really_ are a good guy, aren't you?"

Mr. Atlantis shrugged as we exited the small café.

'I try to be.'

"Oh trust me, you _are_."

He chuckled and hugged me to his chest.

"Jake?"

'Yes?'

"If Atlantis is currently submerged below the ocean, does that make you a merman?"

'No. My ancestors built a replica of Atlantis and that's where my home is, Bells.'

"Oh. Okay...that's beyond cool. I have so many questions!"

Jacob's stomach growled all of a sudden, and despite eating two slices of cheesecake, the man was still hungry.

He was too much of a freakin gentleman to admit it so I took him to a nearby McDonald's, but he grabbed my hand and steered me to the deli next door.

We ended up buying three, whole wheat sandwiches, complete with lettuce, tomatoes and all sorts of healthy vegetables.

_Bella Swan…fast food enthusiast was definitely NOT happy._

"You and your healthy food." I grumbled, nodding towards his turkey sandwich.

'It's great for the body, Bells…unlike your French fries.'

"I know, but I grew up on junk food."

Jacob finished his first sandwich in two bites. No kidding.

I wasn't feeling hungry so I offered him my wrapped tuna sandwich as well.

"Here, eat me.._err_…I meant, eat mine!"

_Phew…that was close._

'No. You eat it and then I'll _eat you_.' He quipped.

"Haha. Fine. I'll give this whole wheat thing a try."

Jake refused to disclose any further information about Atlantis until I was done eating the _entire_ sandwich.

'Congrats! You did it.'

"Yay me."

I pumped a fist in the air, much to Jacob's amusement.

'You'd better get used to eating healthy because…' His voice trailed off into the night as he rubbed his lower lip with his thumb.

"Yeah?"

'Uh...never mind.' He swallowed thickly.

It was obvious that Jacob had a minor case of –slip of the tongue- but he caught himself in time.

'I should go.'

"Noooo. Please don't leave." I rose on my tiptoes and rained kisses on his sweet neck.

'I have to, honey.'

.

.

.

"We'll still be able to chat on BBM though, right?"

'I'm afraid not.' He replied while stroking my long hair.

"_Why?_"

'I can't risk losing my Blackberry, especially in our sister island.'

"Whoa…there's more than one replica of Atlantis?"

'Yes, and none of them endorse Blackberries.'

"So how exactly are we going to stay in touch, huh?"

He contemplated my question for like, a second, then he slid his ring off his finger and handed it to me.

'Keep this with you.'

"What is it?"

'It's our version of the mobile phone.' He explained, showing me how to use it.

The round surface of the ring doubled as a digital screen and a keypad as well. All I had to do was press on the silver band and the virtual screen would appear on the back of my hand.

"Jake, this is beyond awesome."

'I know…just don't let anyone see it.'

"Of course."

Jacob hugged me one last time before heading off to the cave.

I hid the ring inside my purse on the way home, knowing that Jacob had taken a huge risk by leaving it with me.

My Blackberry vibrated within my jeans so I fished it out and saw my mother's name flashing on the ancient screen.

"Yes, mother."

'Isabella! You need to come home right this instant!' She ordered in a panicked voice.

"Why? What's wrong?"

'Someone broke into our house!'

* * *

**A/N: Dun..DUN...Dun...**

**What did this _certain_ someone steal? Any ideas? ;D**


	13. Pearls, Mermaids and Giants

**A/N: Thanks so much for the reviews and alerts! Keep them coming :)  
**

**Disclaimer: I do NOT own any of the Twilight characters.  
**

**The plot, however, is all mine.  
**

******Rated M for language**

* * *

'The safe is gone!'

"Oh my God. All of it?"

My mother nodded, pouring more whiskey into her glass.

'The security footage is also missing.' She anxiously tapped her long fingernails on the mahogany desk. 'The police are checking for fingerprints but I doubt they'll find any.'

"How did the burglars get past the alarm system?"

'I have no idea.' She replied in a sullen tone. 'You should go to bed. It's almost midnight.'

"Ok."

I hesitated in the doorway and watched her in the dim light of the study. She looked old and tired for the first time in ages.

There were diamonds in that safe along with stacks of money, not to mention grandpa's journals.

I was so happy that I'd managed to photocopy them before they vanished.

My bedroom was left untouched by the burglars, so I rushed to my secret compartment and fished out those photocopies from their hiding place.

I was surprised to find a blue post-it note taped to one of the many boxes stored inside my walk-in closet, so I cautiously removed it and read the words written in bold:

**You have failed to cut ties with Jacob and therefore, your mother's safe has been confiscated. If you want it back, meet me down by the Forbidden Cave tomorrow at ten p.m. sharp.  
**

**Don't be late.  
**

**Tristan**

I sank down on the carpet and re-read the note over and over again. "Shit. What did I get myself into?"

Jacob's ring suddenly flashed, startling the hell out of me.

I pressed the silver band and the virtual screen came to life.

'Bells?'

"Hey!"

His eyes were full of concern, making me feel even worse.

I really didn't want to drag him into this so I forced a smile on my face and decided not to mention the whole _missing safe_ fiasco.

'Are you alright? You look paler than usual.'

"Yeah, I'm fine. Just tired. Where are you?"

'I'm in my bedroom.' He replied, turning the screen towards the big-ass aquarium in the center of his elegantly furnished room.

The tank was filled with tiny rainbow fish swimming all over the place.

"Show me your bed." I blurted out, making him chuckle in response.

He showed me the largest bed known to mankind, complete with an entertainment center and a mini-fridge.

"You literally live like a king." I remarked.

'Uh…I guess I do.'

"So, are you packing for your trip?"

'Yes. I'm almost done.' He grinned.

Tristan's note felt like a thorn in my side, forcing me to call it a night and end my virtual call rather abruptly and without giving Jacob a proper goodnight smooch.

* * *

The next morning, his ring woke me up at eight o'clock, vibrating its way to my pillow and flashing on and off in an increasingly annoying pattern.

The flashing was accompanied by underwater sounds that made me feel like I was swimming under my sheets. I pressed on the silver band and a tiny _mermaid_ appeared above the round surface of the ring.

'Isabella Swan?' The blue-haired mermaid sounded a lot like the female GPS voice you hear in the car. She was the size of my index finger and so ridiculously cute.

Her emerald green scales look so real and so did her facial features.

"Yep. That's me. Who are you?"

'I am your virtual mermaid.' She replied. 'Jacob programmed me to provide assistance when needed.'

"Wow…did he give you a name?"

'No. You may record a name of your choice and I will appear whenever you say it.' She answered.

Her little body floated gracefully above the ring while she waited for me to pick out a name for her.

"Gosh, I feel like you're my very first Barbie."

'What is a _Barbie?_'

"It's a famous doll little girls play with."

A tiny tablet appeared in the mermaid's hand and I watched her type in my sentence _verbatim_.

"You know what?"

'What?'

"I'm gonna call you Pearl."

'_Pearl_.' She repeated. 'It is a nice name. Thank you Miss Isabella.'

"Please call me Bella."

Pearl nodded and typed my nickname onto her aquamarine tablet.

It was strange having a conversation about men with a virtual robot but Pearl was intelligent and insightful.

She kept me company all day while my mother was at work.

I was too anxious to leave the house, my brain struggling to figure out how Tristan knew about grandpa's journals.

At around nine o'clock, I got dressed and hid Jacob's ring in my cardigan's front pocket.

Mother was out with Jean Paul so I was able to go to the beach without being subjected to her Spanish inquisition.

The trip to the no-trespassing area felt like a buildup to a horror movie. The ocean was dark and the moon was hiding behind the clouds as if warning me to do the same.

I took a deep calming breath and directed the flashlight to where a group of tall, broad shouldered men were gathered. Tristan's white hair stood out the most but his two companions were similar in height and their hair was long and shiny.

I literally felt like I was in the middle of a shampoo ad for giants.

'Hello, Isabella.'

The three men approached me with curious expressions on their perfectly symmetrical faces.

_Damn...their motherland must be filled with eye-candy.  
_

'This is Jacob's brother, Sam.' Tristan introduced me to the dark-haired man to his right. He shared Jake's bone structure and dark eyes but his body was less athletic and more on the stocky side.

'And this is Hunter. He's been friends with Jacob since they were five.'

I lifted the flashlight to his face and tried not to drool when I saw his eyes. They were forest green with golden specks topped with golden lashes and a shock of silky blonde hair.

'So, this is my brother's little secret.' Sam circled me once before moving to stand right in front of me. 'You're much shorter than I expected.'

"Yeah, well, you're freakishly tall yourself. All of you are." I blurted out.

Hunter started laughing, his dark coat and leather pants reminding me of Jacob's fashion sense. They obviously shared the same taste in clothes.

'She has a point.' He remarked.

Tristan suddenly snapped his fingers and the boulder behind me instantly transformed into a huge spotlight.

'Ah, much better.' He turned to look at me. 'Now, let's discuss your relationship with my cousin, shall we?'

"There's nothing to discuss." I retorted.

'I completely disagree with you, Miss Swan. It seems that Jacob has strong feelings for you.'

'He's right. I've never seen him this invested in a woman before.' Hunter interjected.

I glanced back and forth between the two men, thinking of what to say next. My improvisational skills sucked and lying was not an option, so I chose to come clean about everything.

"Look, I care about Jacob. A lot. He's an amazing guy and he's been discreet about certain aspects of his life, including where he lives."

'We know he told you about Atlantis.' Sam pointed out, staring at me intently.

I held my ground and nodded, not wanting to appear weak or submissive. "He did, and I'm sorry that it's gone, but just because you're a powerful race doesn't mean that you can break into my house and steal my safe."

'We didn't steal it.' Tristan countered. 'We merely borrowed it and for good reason, Isabella.'

"I promised Jake I wouldn't tell anyone about your world. Besides, my grandfather was deemed a crazy man by my _own_ family so his journals don't mean shit to _anyone_ but me."

All three Atlanteans exchanged glances, as if they were communicating telepathically.

I crossed my fingers, hoping they'd change their mind about the whole –_forbidden cake_ – thing.

_Please God, hand me the keys to Atlantis, or whatever island Jake is currently living in. I want the keys to his bedroom too, and his heart if possible._

'Very well then, we have a proposition for you.' Tristan declared, clasping his hands behind his back. 'We will offer you _one million_ dollars in exchange for your grandfather's journals and another million if you promise to stay out of Jacob's life for good.'

My eyes bugged out of my head in response.

_Holy muffin! Two million?_

That was a _shitload _of money!

I could buy my very own frozen yoghurt machine, not to mention a Shelby Mustang GT and a lifetime supply of Twizzlers.

My gold-digging genes reared their ugly head at Tristan's offer but I had enough sense to nip those materialistic traits in the bud.

I was my father's daughter and I will NEVER be a gold-digger like my mother.

_Never._

_._

_._

"My grandpa's journals are not for sale. They belong to _me,_ and if you think that you could buy me with your money, then you're dead wrong, Tristan. I don't want your millions, so you can stick them up your ass!"

Sam chuckled at my words, but his cousin was far from amused.

He stepped closer to my short frame and leaned forward to look me straight in the eye.

'Is this your final answer?'

"Yes." I firmly replied, refusing to look away from his penetrating eyes.

My heart was beating faster than usual, like I was a contestant on _Who Wants to be a Millionaire?_

_Seriously…_

'Hunter, get me the safe.'

Tristan reached out and touched the mole above my upper lip.

It throbbed for like, a second, making his blue eyes widen in shock.

'Holy Artemis...' He gasped.

Sam glanced at my face and his expression instantly mirrored Tristan.

_What the hell?_

'The prophecy is true.' He knelt down and took hold of my right hand. 'She's our future queen.'

'Yes. Grandmother was right all along.' Tristan raised my other hand to his lips and KISSED it.

'Congratulations, Miss Swan. You've passed your final test.'

.

.

.

HUH?


	14. Royal Beefcake

**Disclaimer: I do NOT own any of the Twilight characters.  
**

**The plot, however, is all mine.  
**

******Rated M for language**

* * *

'We apologize for the inconvenience we've caused you, Miss Swan, but we had to make sure that you're trustworthy.'

"I…I…did you just say QUEEN?" I gaped at him in shock, feeling lightheaded all of a sudden.

'Yes.' He nodded. 'You are destined to rule our Kingdom alongside Jacob.'

Kingdom?

_Seriously? _

Sam chuckled and rose to his feet. 'Father is going to have a field day with this.' He remarked.

"But you told me our relationship was forbidden! You even warned me to stay away from him."

'I did, yes...but that was part of the test, and you have passed with flying colors.' Tristan replied.

'The forbidden aspect of your relationship is real though.' He added.

"What? That makes no sense whatsoever."

Hunter returned with my mother's safe in tow. He was smiling at me with an elated expression on his face.

'Give the girl a break, Tristan.' He interjected, placing the safe on the sand before guiding me to sit on top of it.

I didn't even realize that my hands were shaking until Hunter told me to relax and take a deep, calming breath.

'Are you okay?'

"Yeah. I just need a minute to process all of this."

The three men suddenly gathered around in a circle, making me feel like _Frodo_ in the _Fellowship of The Ring_. Haha.

'The Queen is not going to be happy about this, Sam.'

'I know. She wants Jake to marry Oralius's daughter.'

'Over my dead body!' Tristan exclaimed, moving to stand in front of Sam. 'Her father is far from progressive and a first class racist.'

'I know, and if _Cora_ finds out about Bella, she's not going to be happy.' Hunter chimed in.

'Ha! That's an understatement, my friend.'

'I agree.' Sam glanced in my direction with a distressed look on his face. 'She wants the royal bloodline to remain as pure as possible.'

"Umm…sorry to interrupt, but who's Cora?"

'She's Jacob's mother.' Tristan responded.

'I'm actually Jake's half-brother.' Sam clarified. 'He's Cora's only child and the sole heir to the throne.'

"So you and Jake share the same dad…'

'Exactly.' He nodded. 'Our parents got divorced years ago.'

"Oh. I'm sorry."

'Don't be. Cora was a very controlling mother. I'm glad my father had enough sense to leave her.'

'Controlling?' Hunter snorted. 'She makes me take off my _shoes_ at the palace gates.'

'She's a bit cuckoo.' He revealed, much to my amusement.

"Really?"

'Yeah. She's also old-school and stuck in her ways.'

"Yikes."

Tristan tugged on his white hair in frustration, making me feel even more anxious.

It was obvious that Jake's mother was _not_ a nice lady.

'We need a contingency plan.'

'Yes we do.' Sam exchanged glances with Hunter who was pacing back and forth in front of me.

"For what?"

'I'm afraid we're not authorized to answer this particular question, Miss Swan.'

"But I have TONS of questions!" I protested.

Hunter gave me an amused smile in return.

He was definitely January's type.

'Ask Prince Charming.' He grinned.

"Oh I will."

.

.

.

* * *

Later that night, my newly appointed bodyguards walked me home and returned the safe to its original place.

My mother was still out with Jean Paul, giving them the opportunity to plant tiny, high-tech devices around the house.

Tristan told me that the devices were able to detect any _non-human_ intruders within ten feet of the front gate.

'We will also appoint an _Atlantean_ wolf to guard you.'

"Holy muffin! A _Wolf_?"

'Yes.' He raised my hand to his lips and kissed it. '_Atlantean_ wolves will guard you with their lives, Isabella. They're the reason Jacob is still alive.'

"Speaking of Jake, is he in on this whole thing?"

'Uh...not exactly.' Hunter ran his fingers through his shiny blonde hair.

My fingers were itching to touch it, just to see if it was _real_.

'Let's postpone this conversation for some other time, shall we?' Tristan smiled down at me before opening the front door.

'Yeah. We should get going anyway.'

Sam kissed my hand and followed him out of the house.

'Goodnight, Princess.'

"I'm not a _Princess_." I rolled my eyes at him.

_Jesus, it's like I was Mia Thermopolis in the Princess Diaries_.

'Jake's grandma sure thinks you are.' Hunter countered as he breezed past me, dropping a quick kiss on my forehead.

'Bye, _Princess_ Bella!'

.

.

.

* * *

My mother was both relieved and dumbfounded when she discovered that the safe was back.

She checked its contents and was pleased to find that nothing was stolen.

The police were just as shocked since there were no fingerprints and no evidence to suggest that someone had broken into our house in the first place.

The security cameras turned out to be of terrible quality so my mother vowed to upgrade our system and install motion sensors in the basement.

.

.

.

* * *

I woke up the next morning feeling _exhausted_.

Pearl kept me company inside the bathroom, and a tiny toothbrush appeared in her little hand when she saw me brushing my own teeth.

'Do you do this often?'

"Yeah. Twice a day." I chuckled.

_She looked so darn cute!_

The silver ring started blinking with an incoming call but I told Pearl to ignore it.

'Prince Jacob is on the line, Miss Bella.'

"I know, just…tell him I'm busy."

The blue-haired mermaid disappeared for a while before popping in with a message from Jake.

'He says he wants to make sure you're okay. Especially after what happened last night.'

"Jesus." I sighed, feeling incredibly overwhelmed by everything.

"Tell him I'm fine and that I'll talk to him later."

Pearl nodded and vanished again, leaving me to my own thoughts on the matter.

_Princess Bella…_

_Yeah, right…_

Jake's grandmother must be delusional.

I refused to believe in the prophecy even if it meant that I was destined to be with Jake or whatever.

We were too young to be King and Queen anyways!

'Miss Bella?'

"Yes?"

'Prince Jacob misses you dearly.'

_Aaaaw_

"That's sweet, but I'm kinda mad at him right now."

'Why?'

"Because it doesn't say _Prince_ on his Facebook profile."

I shrugged into my leather jacket and checked my reflection in the mirror.

The crescent-shaped mole was a photocopy of the one above Jake's upper lip. It was weird seeing it on my face.

'It doesn't say _Princess_ on your profile either.' Pearl pointed out.

"I was being sarcastic, P. This whole royalty thing is _so_ not my cup of tea."

'Why?'

"Because I'm no Kate Middleton, That's why."

'Duchess Catherine is married to the Duke of Cambridge but you will be married to the great _King of Oceanus_.'

"Oceanus?"

'Yes. Also known as the Mother Island, Oceanus is home to Prince Jacob and his family."

"Tell me more..."

'His mother, Queen Cora is the Supreme Ruler.'

"Do you have a photo of her Majesty?"

Pearl nodded and then showed me a digital picture of Jake's mother.

She was breathtakingly beautiful, with long raven hair and a glowing complexion.

Her golden crown was embellished with diamonds and sapphire, matching her almond blue eyes.

Jake had the same straight nose and high cheekbones, but definitely not her cold, icy stare.

"How old is she?"

'She's seventy-five years old.'

_What the fudge!_

"_No way. _She looks younger than my mother."

.

.

.

* * *

College was a disaster.

I had a really hard time concentrating on anything.

January regarded me with suspicious eyes the entire time but didn't ask any questions. She was too busy making new friends and planning her upcoming birthday party.

I was lost in my own world to care, so I nodded every time she suggested something and ate my tuna sandwich in complete and utter silence.

My mother was already on her way to the airport when I got home.

She apparently had some urgent business to attend to in Paris so she texted me during history class and told me that our new alarm system had been successfully installed.

I was home alone for the first time in weeks and it didn't feel so great.

* * *

The doorbell rang a few hours later while I was having dinner in front of the TV.

I wasn't expecting any visitors so I cautiously looked through the peephole and found Jacob standing outside with roses in his hand.

"_Shit_…just a minute!"

I rushed upstairs to my bedroom, untying my messy ponytail along the way and ruffling my hair in the mirror while putting on my black silk kimono robe.

My nerves were on edge and my heart was beating faster than usual so I sprayed on _more_ deodorant and rushed back downstairs to open the door.

"Your Highness." I curtseyed with trembling hands.

'Bella…there's no need for you to do that.' Jacob pulled me into his arms and kissed the top of my head.

I felt like I was seeing him in this whole new light and _that_ made me feel incredibly nervous.

"Ok."

'Are you still mad at me?' He asked, tilting up my chin so I'd look him straight in the eye.

"Pearl told you, didn't she?"

'She tells me everything.'

"Well, I'm glad at least one if us is getting a healthy dose of honesty for a change." I hinted.

He gave me an apologetic smile in return and handed me the red roses. 'It wasn't my intention to keep things from you.'

"Yeah, I know, but…" I swallowed. "You're a _Prince_ for God's sake!"

He chuckled in response but the situation was _far_ from funny.

"Do you find this amusing? Huh?" I pulled away from him and fled to the kitchen. "Because I'm _soooo_ not amused right now."

'Bells…'

He tried to grab my hand but I recoiled from his touch.

"Are you going to marry me against my will?"

'_What?_' He frowned.

"You heard me." I leaned against the marble counter. "Are you?"

'No! I'd _never_ force you to do anything, honey.'

'Never.' He repeated.

"Good, because I don't wanna get married…"

Jacob cautiously approached me like I was about to explode in his face.

'Okay.' He nodded.

"I'm only eighteen."

'Christ, Bells. I'm not a dictator…'

"Yeah, but your mom sure sounds like one."

Jake pinched the bridge of his nose, my _mini-freak_ out obviously freaking _him_ out.

'Look, how about we discuss this over breakfast tomorrow?' He suggested.

"Breakfast?"

'Yes.' He moved closer to stand directly in front of me, his broad shoulders blocking my view of the kitchen. 'I'll make you Mustang-shaped pancakes.'

"Really?"

'Yes, _really_.' He grinned.

"Mmmm…sounds tempting." I licked my lips, imagining him in nothing but an apron.

My flaming cheeks must have given me away since Jacob smirked and leaned forward, his hands cautiously moving up my sides.

'Is that a yes, Bells?'

*Sigh*

_How could I say no to this Royal beefcake?_

"Yep."

'Great.' He smiled. 'You won't be disappointed.'

"We'll see." I inhaled his familiar scent, feeling my hormones rising to the surface.

They wanted him for dinner, and so did I.

'Very well then, I…'

"No." I cut him off. "You're not going anywhere."

'Bella…'

"Please stay the night." I toyed with the buttons on his black shirt, doing my best to seduce him with my _innocent charm_.

"I promise I'll behave…"

'It's not you I'm worried about.' He whispered in my ear, his deep voice flirting with my eardrums.

"Jesus, you sound like a cheap romance novel." I teased.

'Is that good or bad, Miss Swan?'

"Bad…" My hands roamed down his toned chest. "Definitely _bad_."

'Is your mother out of town?' He trapped my wandering hands beneath his own russet ones.

"Yeah…and I- I don't want to be alone tonight." I confessed.

Jacob swallowed thickly but I already knew his answer.

He was going to say yes!

'Alright, I'll stay.'

"Awesome!"

I led him upstairs to the guest bedroom, which was two doors down from my own room.

Jacob took one look at the bed and started laughing.

'We're going to need a bigger bed, Bells." He winked at me.

.

.

.

_Oh my God!_

Did he just say _we_?


	15. The Naked Prince

**Rated M for Adult Themes and Language.**

* * *

'What are you doing?'

"I'm making Pop-Tarts."

Jacob scratched his scruffy chin, his eyes glued to the rectangular pastries in the toaster.

'I've never heard of them.'

"Seriously?"

'Yes.' He nodded.

"They're my favorite midnight snack."

He gave me a skeptical look when I handed him a strawberry filled tart and asked him to try it.

'You have questionable taste in food, Miss Swan.'

"Jeez, just eat it already! It's not going to sprout fangs and attack your healthy body."

He popped the pastry into his mouth and his face instantly contorted in disgust.

"Weirdo." I dropped the hot vanilla Pop-Tarts onto a nearby plate, watching him swallow the treat like it was medicine.

'You call this a snack? It's _disgusting_.' He grimaced.

"Do not insult my Pop-Tarts!"

'Well, there won't be any Pop-Tarts in _Oceanus_ so enjoy them while you can.'

"What's that supposed to mean?" I gaped at him in shock, almost loosing my grip on the white plate.

'Nothing.' He quickly responded, running his fingers through his long hair. 'It's way too early to discuss our future, so forget I said anything.'

"You're thinking about the _future_?"

His eyes met mine briefly before he turned around to face the window. 'Yes.'

"So you _do_ believe in your grandma's prophecy…" I swallowed the lump in my throat and tried not to panic.

The idea of living on a strange island devoid of fast food was freaking me out big time.

'I do.' He nodded. 'You are my destiny, Bella.'

"Here we go again." I muttered, refusing this whole –_we were meant to be_- bullshit.

Jacob's shoulders stiffened at my words.

His expression was not so hilarious when he walked around the kitchen table and crouched in front of me.

'We will discuss this tomorrow as promised.'

"Sure, whatever." I replied, wolfing down my vanilla flavored pastry in two bites.

'Look. at. me.' Jake's deep voice was incredibly hot when he was serious. It made me squirm in my seat, imagining him saying dirty things to me in his _potential Dom_ tone.

"I'm sorry your Highness. Please don't _spank_ me."

I wiggled my eyebrows at him and he immediately rose to his feet, looking all flustered and not knowing what to do with his hands.

'I uh...I'm going to bed.' He declared.

"Okay. Do you want me to tuck you in?" I teased him further, getting up from my chair and following him down the corridor.

His jumbo air mattress was in the living room, waiting for his royal hotness to break it in.

'Your sense of humor is killing me, Bells.' He answered in a sarcastic tone.

"Haha. I noticed."

He grunted something unintelligible in response and grabbed the extra pillows from the couch.

"Do you need something else?"

'No. Thank you.'

Jake sat down on the mattress, dwarfing it in size even though it was as big as a California king bed.

"Holly muffin, you look like a polar bear inside a tiny igloo."

He laughed in amusement and pulled me forward until I landed in his arms. 'How do you come up with these analogies?'

"Umm…I have no idea."

His chest felt so warm and he smelled like musk and strawberries.

I wanted to kiss him _so_ bad.

'Your pajamas are very seductive, by the way.' He whispered in my ear.

"Mmmm…I wore them just for you." I shamelessly ogled his full lips, tracing them with my fingers.

They were so soft and ridiculously kissable.

'Cherries are my favorite.' He sucked my index finger into his mouth, surprising the hell out of me.

"I thought you liked bananas."

'Bananas, _cherries_, and You…' He groaned. '_You_ taste better than that processed junk you fed me earlier.'

"Jeez, your appetite for sex is unbelievable." I blurted out, only to realize that I'd just said _sex_ instead of food.

"Errr…I meant…"

'Shhh. It's ok, those are your hormones talking.' He smirked, eyes twinkling mischievously as he sank farther into the mattress.

"Shut up."

I shifted uncomfortably on top of his muscular torso, my short nails digging into the cotton sheets below.

'What's the matter, Bells? Cat got your tongue?'

His chest rose and fell beneath me, reminding me that I was currently straddling a Prince in the middle of my living room.

That could totally be an ad for giant air mattresses.

_Buy one and get a sexy beefcake for free!_

_He'll keep you warm during the night and spoon you in the morning._

Oh God, how am I going to go upstairs knowing that the hottest man alive is sleeping down here?

_How?_

"I wanna sleep with you."

There, I said it!

Jacob bolted upright all of a sudden and removed me from his lap in record speed.

'Don't make me regret staying here, Bella.' He warned.

"Oh take a chill pill, Black. I'm not asking you to..umm..pop my cherry and corrupt my virginal innocence."

He looked at me sideways, apparently unimpressed by my attempt at lightening the mood.

"I'm serious."

'So am I…' He cleared his throat, folding his impressive arms in front of his chest.

'If you want us to share the same bed, you're going to have to change into something less revealing.' He gestured at my shorts, eying them like they were about to take a bite out of his well-endowed male-parts.

"Umm...okay."

I rushed upstairs and changed into another pair of PJs, making sure to ditch my bra and leave the top three buttons of my long-sleeved shirt undone.

Jacob was lying on his back with his eyes closed by the time I crawled onto the spacious mattress.

"_Jakey pancakey_!" I nudged his rock-hard abs, wishing he'd forego his clothes altogether.

'Go to sleep, Bells.' He laced his arm around my waist and hugged me closer to his side.

"In a second." I draped the blue comforter over the both of us and snuggled into his cozy embrace.

"Where's my goodnight kiss?"

'Come and get it.' Jacob chuckled, the sound reverberating deep in his chest.

"No, you scoot down. I'm tired of craning my neck all the time."

'Ok. Wait.'

He rolled over onto his side and slid my body upward instead.

"Much better." I smiled, feeling his warm breath on my skin.

The air crackled with electricity the moment he kissed me, his broad shoulders pressing me into the mattress as I reached up and tugged on his long hair.

His first kiss was soft and gentle, like an appetizer that left me wanting more.

The second kiss was more urgent and borderline X-rated, especially when I moaned into his mouth and grinded my lower half into his impressive bulge.

It was right _there_, begging to be touched, but the moment my fingers closed around it (or at least _tried to) _Jacob tensed and pulled away.

'Bella…' He panted. 'Go upstairs.'

"No." I nibbled on his ear, my hormones refusing to leave him alone.

'Then keep your hands to yourself.' He plopped down onto the make-shift bed and covered his face with the comforter.

"You're such a prude, you know that?" I huffed, resting my head on my own fluffy pillow.

* * *

The next morning, I woke up to the heavenly smell of pancakes and maple syrup.

Jake was in the kitchen, shirtless and clean-shaven with a cup of coffee in his hands.

'Good morning, _Princess_.'

"Good morning." I yawned, my eyes instantly zeroing in on the mountain of Mustang-shaped pancakes on the table.

"No way!"

He smiled at me and rose from his chair, grabbing the bottle of syrup along the way.

"You made these?"

'Yes.' He grinned.

"That' so cool."

It suddenly hit me that Jacob was in my house at ten in the morning! His russet skin was practically glowing in the sunlight filtering from outside.

"Thank you."

'You're most welcome.' He leaned forward and pecked me on the lips.

His breath smelled like peppermint unlike my horrible morning breath.

I quickly excused myself and darted to the guest bathroom to brush my teeth and wash my face.

There must've been some sort of vitamin in Jake's saliva because my skin was radiant and my hair looked lustrous, like I'd just visited a spa or something.

.

.

"Jake? Can I ask you a question?"

'Sure. Go ahead.'

"Are you really twenty-two?"

He froze mid-chew and gave me a very offended look over his breakfast plate. 'Why would I lie to you about my age after everything we've been through?'

"You're right, I'm sorry. It's just that…you don't behave like a spoiled-rich guy at all."

'I was raised in a different setting, Bells, so of course I'm not going to act like an irresponsible frat boy with too much time on his hands.' He wiped his mouth with a napkin. 'I learned all about duty and responsibility at an early age.'

"Wow, you do sound like a Prince."

'Is that good or bad, Miss Swan?' He smirked, before taking a sip of his steaming coffee.

"It's freakin _hot_." I stabbed a piece of pancake with my fork and brought it to my mouth.

The sweet maple syrup combined with the buttery flavor of the pancake made my mouth water.

_It tasted so good!_

"You should star in your own cooking show 'cause this is _amazing._"

'Really?'

"_Yeaah_." I moaned as the delicious cake melted in my mouth.

"Where'd you learn how to cook anyway?"

'I used to take lessons from our palace chef three times a week.'

"Seriously?"

'Yes, I'm very good with my hands.' He replied in a super-suggestive tone.

"Then you should definitely do that cooking show." I insisted.

"You can call it _The Naked Prince_, you know, like _The Naked Chef_?"

'There's a naked chef?' He chuckled in amusement.

"Yep. He's very famous too."

Jacob leaned over the table, his expression laced with disbelief.

'He cooks without any clothes on? Is that even sanitary?'

I burst out laughing and almost choked on my orange juice in the process.

"Oh Jake, for someone who's familiar with _The Vampire Diaries_, you sure are clueless about TV."

'I'm only familiar with certain television shows and a handful of pop culture references.'

"Give me an example."

.

.

.

'_I'm gonna make him an offer he can't refuse.' _

"Nice! What else?"

.

.

'_Come back to my place and I'll show you my collection of rude Italian hand gestures_.'

"_Prince Jacob!_ Is that a line from a movie or did you just hit on me?"


	16. An Introduction to Teenage Dreams

**Rated M for language.**

* * *

'I can assure you that this was a line from a Woody Allen movie.' Jacob chuckled.

"Oh...and here I thought you were suggesting we take this to the bedroom."

'Bells, you really need to stop thinking about sex.'

"I can't help it." I shrugged. "Everything about you screams _sexy_."

'Right back at ya.' He grinned before getting up and wiping his mouth with a napkin.

"Where do you think you're going?"

'Home.' He replied.

"Seriously?" I pretended to be shocked. "You're going to ditch me after an amazing night of BCS?"

'And what exactly is _BCS_?'

An amused smiled crept over his full lips, making him look so damn charming.

"Booty Call Sex."

Jake chuckled in response and folded his big arms across his chest.

'I don't think you'd be up this early talking about sex if we'd actually done the deed.'

_**OMG...did he just wink at me?**_

"Good point..." I mumbled.

_**Don't blush...don't blush...don't stare at his crotch!**_

_Oops...too late..._

My eyes had a mind of their own, choosing to embarrass the hell out of me by sticking to his impressive bulge as he glided across the kitchen.

'Bells?'

"Yeah?"

'Finish your pancakes.' He ruffled my hair on his way to the bathroom.

_Jeez, what a dad thing to say._

I dumbly sat there for the next five minutes, sipping on my orange juice and gobbling down my breakfast.

Speaking of dad...he used to make me all sorts of funny shaped pancakes too.

I remembered how he used to let me help him prepare the mix and crack the eggs.

We used to make one hell a of mess, but it was so worth it.

Jacob's voice brought me out of my nostalgic thoughts and I couldn't help but wonder if he'd be able to find out what _really_ happened to my father.

'What's on your mind, Bells?'

He crouched in front of me, his black shirt halfway buttoned and his black eyes full of concern.

"I..uh...need a favor."

'Sure, what is it?'

"My dad...he umm...disappeared when I was eight years old..."

I ended up telling Jake the whole story and even showed him a photo of my father sitting on board his red yacht.

"His body was never recovered so they simply declared him dead after three months of searching."

'How about his boat?'

"It's somewhere out there...I guess."

Jacob hugged me closer to his chest when he noticed my obvious distress.

I was this close to crying but luckily, having him around made it easier to talk about dad's disappearance.

'Don't worry, I'll look into it and get back to you. I promise.' He kissed the top of my head.

"Ok. That would be great." I sighed, locking my arms around him.

.

.

.

* * *

_**September 10, 1974**_

_**Ocean is dead!**_

_**He was assassinated last night and Juliana would not stop crying.**_

_**My poor baby is heartbroken and I can't do nothing about it. **_

_**She told me she was in love with him and that she was ready to give up her life here just to be by his side.**_

_**I don't know how to console her. **_

_**Losing someone you love at seventeen is hard to live through. **_

_**I contacted Ocean's cousin using the coin they gave me and he promised to get rid of my baby girl's pain once and for all.**_

_**He's going to erase her memory...**_

_**I think it's the right thing to do...**_

_**She needs to forget all the heartache I've caused her.**_

_**.**_

_**.**_

_**.**_

"Oh my God."

I scrambled off the bed and searched my desk for grandpa's coin.

It was a phone just like Jacob's ring. It had to be!

No wonder everyone called him crazy.

The coin was far from high-tech and a bit rusty on the edges.

I tapped it once but nothing changed, so I rubbed it like you would a genie lamp but it also didn't respond or make bubbly noises.

"You are in _desperate_ need of an upgrade."

.

.

.

Pearl said the same thing when she saw the antique coin.

She told me it was the seventies version of Jake's ring and that it was considered incredibly valuable back in the day.

What puzzled me the most was all the stuff written about my mother!

She was in _love_ with Jacob's uncle.

I was trying my best to wrap my head around this shocking piece of info but I just couldn't.

Did the infamous _Men in Black_ device affect her somehow?

Did it strip away her emotions as well as her memory?

She was always a tough cookie; the woman who never crumbled under pressure. She hated crying, especially in front of an audience.

Mom was actually convinced that tears were a weakness.

The stupid device must have messed her up big time.

_Ugh..thanks a lot, grandpa!_

_.  
_

_.  
_

'Miss Bella!'

"Yes Pearl?"

'Your wolf is here.'

"My..._what?_"

I rushed downstairs and opened the front door.

"Where?"

'She's waiting for you at the gates.'

"Wow..it's a _she?_"

'Yes.' Pearl smiled. 'Prince Jacob chose her for you.'

I took a deep breath and jogged to the gate.

'Don't be nervous.'

"Umm...if you say so."

The gates slid open to reveal the empty driveway followed by our perfectly manicured hedge.

I felt a tiny bit disappointed as I scanned the street for any sign of the so called Atlantean wolf.

"Where is she?"

'She's right there.' Pearl pointed at the grass to my right.

There was nothing there either.

"Am I being Punk'D?"

'What does Punked mean?'

"Never mind." I turned around, ready to go back into the house when something tugged on my sweater.

Something invisible!

"Holy muffin!"

'She's sniffing your clothes.' Pearl giggled, floating towards my legs.

"I can't see her!"

'She's cloaked. That is why you cannot see her.'

"Well, uncloak her for me. Can you do that?"

'Yes, but Prince Jacob instructed me to do it in the safety of your home so that no one else could see her.'

"Right." I slapped my forehead. "of course...I don't want Mrs. Yvonne to throw a hissy fit if she finds out I had a wolf in the yard."

'Who is _Mrs. Yvonne_?'

"She's the bitch next door."

'A bitch is a dog, fox, wolf or otter.'

"Oh crap...please don't tell Jake I'm teaching you bad words."

'Yes, Miss Bella, but I have one more question.'

"Sure, ask away."

.

.

'What is a _Holy Muffin_?'

.

.

.

* * *

**A/N: I know this is a short chapter but it's more of a bridge that's going to take you to the next part of the story.**

**Thanks for reading! :)**


	17. Shattered Fairytale

**A/N: Hi! :) I know I haven't been updating as fast as I used to but I'm currently in the process of moving to another apartment so real life has been a total headache lately.**

**Thanks for your reviews and alerts (muffin greetings to all of you). I will PM you as soon as I possibly can.  
**

**Hope you enjoy this chapter.  
**

**Disclaimer: I don't own any of the Twilight characters.  
**

**The plot, however, is all mine.  
**

**Rated M for language.  
**

* * *

Pearl cheerfully uncloaked the wolf with the click of a button.

The tiny red button was located on the wolf's collar so I could easily cloak her whenever I wanted.

Jake apparently bought the beautiful grey wolf for _half a million_ Atlantean dollars, according to my tech savvy mermaid.

She found my enthusiasm amusing, even when I struggled to explain to her the meaning of _holly muffin_.

"You're a good girl, aren't you?" I gently petted the enormous wolf.

She was approximately the size of a Great Dane with caramel brown eyes and the softest fur ever.

There was a star shaped logo painted on her hind legs and an intricate collar around her neck with an empty space in the middle where her name should be.

'Prince Jacob says she understands English as well as Spanish.'

"Nice!" I scratched Miss Wolfy's head and tried to brainstorm the perfect name for her.

She was incredibly friendly and definitely not what I expected from a supposedly aggressive Atlantean wolf.

I fed her a large portion of spaghetti meatballs and smoked salmon for dinner courtesy of our freezer and later that night, she ventured outside for some quality pooping.

Jake sent me a text telling me not to keep her inside the house since Atlantean wolves didn't like being cooped up indoors at all.

In fact, they were resilient to cold weather among other things.

They were also independent and smart enough to understand certain cues.

Pearl taught me how to cloak and uncloak her, which was a piece of cake compared to my horrible sociology assignment.

I was _so_ not interested in anything academic for the first time in ages, especially since I had January's birthday party to worry about.

It was on October 31st so it was basically a Halloween B-day bash with lots of candy and cake.

Living in the twilight zone for the past few weeks must've messed up my calender since the party was tomorrow!

An urgent trip to the mall was in order so I got dressed and left the house with Miss Wolfy in tow.

_Jeez, I gotta pick a name for that poor animal ASAP._

_.  
_

_.  
_

_.  
_

_Got it!  
_

* * *

I barely felt _Princess's_ presence during my quick trip to the mall.

She padded through the sliding doors undetected so I didn't have to worry about anyone seeing her sitting outside the busy costume shop.

I was the only one who could see her because of Jake's _magical_ ring.

That tiny little thing turned out to be like a Swiss army knife!

It was a phone with a special application that allowed you to see anything hidden or cloaked.

All you had to do is activate it and _voila_! She's no longer invisible to you.

Speaking of weird stuff, I ended up buying a mermaid costume in honor of Pearl.

Sure it was flashy ( and a teensy weensy bit trashy) but I loved it. The long red wig was hilarious as hell but the rest of the outfit was so _under the sea_ chic. Haha.

January insisted that I show up early to the party to help set up the drinks and whatnot, so I spent the next afternoon at her place wishing I was somewhere else.

She was so irritatingly bossy whenever she had an event to organize, a total _Birthdayzilla_ if you ask me.

The first floor had to be decorated to a tee with cobwebs and skeletons, not to mention _balloons_.

The pumpkins took ages to carve and they had to be _carved_ in a specific way.

Thank God Leo was there to act as a buffer of sorts.

He was pretty laid back, unlike his girlfriend who kept fussing over her Queen of Hearts costume.

The crown was too big for her head so we pinned it to her curly hair with like, a hundred pins.

My seashell bra also needed some minor adjustments but thanks to Pearl, I was able to perfect my sexy mermaid look.

The green eyeliner, combined with the shimmery foundation and turquoise eyeshadow made me look fantastic.

Jake cracked up big time when I sent him a photo of the two of us rocking fish-lips.

His _royal stud-muffin_ was stuck at a benefit with a bunch of other people so he told me to have fun on his behalf.

I did have fun...

January's parties were always a blast.

She made me sing Happy Birthday, _karaoke style_ right before she blew her nineteen candles, and then we ate the best red velvet cake while chilling in the living room with the rest of our friends.

Leo cranked up the music once we were done eating and everyone started dancing in their ridiculous costumes.

I snuck outside real quick to check on _Princess, _dragging my sequined tale behind me.

The stupid thing was a tripping hazard so I picked it up as I descended the porch steps and searched the garden for the stealthy wolf.

I found her at the gate, her furry body frozen like a statue.

She took her job _very_ seriously, which was kind of sad because I really wanted to play fetch with her.

"Hey girl, I brought you a little treat."

I held the cocktail shrimp to her mouth and she immediately snatched it from my hand using her tongue.

She happily chewed on it while I petted her head.

_Let's just hope that there were no eyewitnesses because shrimps don't just disappear into thin air._

I chuckled at the prospect of being called a wacko mermaid on Facebook.

Last year, I was nicknamed _The Girl Who Lived_ because I got dressed up as Harry Potter.

I couldn't possibly top that ever again.

Princess suddenly ducked her head and whimpered in fear when a dark figure appeared in the distance.

.

.

_No way._

"_Jake?"_

I crossed the street in order to take a good look at his face but he quickly turned around and motioned for me to follow him.

"Wait!"

I followed him like a smitten fool without thinking twice about it, my feet struggling to catch up with him as he rounded the corner and headed straight for the beach.

Three minutes later, I found myself in front of the no-trespassing sign with no Jake in sight.

It was like I was lured into coming here.

_Shit. I should've known this was going to happen._

_._

_._

_._

'Hello, Isabella.'

A tall, unearthly beautiful woman suddenly emerged from the shadows like some kind of Greek goddess.

I literally froze in my place, unable to move as Jake's mother glided across the sand, her golden skin shining beneath the moonlight.

Her captivating eyes held me in their prison, making feel small and cheap.

I was so not prepared to meet the Queen.

"Where's Jake?"

The fairy-like woman regarded me with a sinister smile on her full lips.

_Damn...she really is intimidating as hell. _

'He's home...where he belongs.' She coolly replied.

"So, this was..."

'A hologram.' She swiftly interjected, her voice mirroring the calculating expression on her face. 'I wanted to have a word with you so I used him as bait.'

_Seriously?_

"Well, mission accomplished." I swallowed, trying not to stare at her lovely midnight dress.

It was a work of art; unlike anything I'd ever seen.

The fabric shimmered with real crystals woven into tiny snowflake patterns and the sweetheart neckline was frost-like, as if it were made of ice.

_Yikes, can you say Ice Queen?_

'Don't sass me, young lady.' Cora warned.

"Sorry, your Majesty...but...I umm..."

'You're _umm_..what?' The ice queen mocked me.

I gaped at her in semi-shock and felt her scrutinizing gaze burning holes into my bra top.

'You are nothing but a fleeting distraction; a spoiled child with no poise or elegance whatsoever.'

_Ouch!_

_Did she just call me a child?_

'My son will _never_ marry you.' She muttered. 'His atrocious grandmother has filled his head with complete and utter nonsense.'

"Jake's not the only one who believes in his grandmother's prophecy." I blurted out in defense of Prince Charming.

Cora's obsidian blue eyes widened all of a sudden and I couldn't help but admire her make-up. The dark undertones with a hint of glitter along the lashes made her look gothic chic, yet glam at the same time.

My fashionista genes were crushing on her style big time.

'What do you know about our world, little girl?'

"Nothing! Absolutely nothing..._nada_...zilch."

_God, I really suck at lying._

'Alright.' She sighed, tapping her silver ring with her manicured nails.

_Plum is so her color, but I shouldn't be thinking about this right now!_

'Let's try this again, shall we?'

The virtual screen flickered to life and my mother's unmistakable platinum blonde hair came into focus.

She was photographed having dinner with one of her Italian friends in Milan.

'Your mother, Juliana Swan has been a thorn in my side ever since my brother's murder.'

"O-ocean was your brother?"

'Yes.' She closed the distance between us in two long strides and my mother's recently botox-ed face started moving.

It was not a photo, it was an actual, high resolution video!

_What the fudge?_

'Ocean was destined to become King, but unfortunately, he ended up fawning over a pathetic, superficial human being; the main cause of his tragic demise.' She circled me like a black widow, her raven hair flirting with the wind.

'So imagine my surprise when I discovered that my one and only son has been spending time with her _daughter_!' She darkly chuckled. 'Ironic, isn't it?'

Cue the awkward silence.

.

.

.

"Leave my mother out of this. She knows nothing about Atlantis."

'But you do...' Cora countered. 'So let's forget your initial response to my question, unless...'

"Unless what? You'll hurt my mother?" I glared at her, my temper rising faster than the ocean tide.

'There's nothing I'd like more than to see Juliana suffer.' She sneered in response.

"You've done enough damage already by stripping her of her memories."

'I did no such thing. On the contrary, I wanted her to remember so she'd live in pain for the rest of her life.'

'Heartbreak can be a powerful thing, Isabella.' Cora added.'It can make or _break_ an empire.'

Ice Queen had a point.

Think of Helen of Troy, Romeo and Juliet, Tristan and Isolde.

_Okay, stop freaking out and take a deeeeeep breath.._

_Jake's mother is not going to kill you, at least not tonight._

_Jesus, I'm sweating like a pig._

Cora was at least a foot taller than me if not more.

Her intimidating height paired with the current evil expression on her face were scarier than any Halloween mask.

'If you choose to lie again, I will have no choice but to destroy your mother's fashion empire, and if you remain in contact with Jacob, I will cause harm to everyone and _everything_ you hold dear.'

_Shit._

There was no room for negotiation with that woman, so I swallowed my pride and spilled the beans on most of the stuff that Jake had told me.

Cora basically drained the _Atlantis_ out of me.

I have no idea how she did it, but by the time I was done talking, there were tears in my eyes and a numbing pain in my chest.

She officially banned me from seeing Jake and made me give up his ring.

'If you don't abide by my rules, I will end you.' She vowed.

The lump in my throat just kept on getting bigger and bigger as I struggled to remain calm and collected.

'Do I make myself clear, child?'

"Y-yes."

'Good.'

And just like that, Cora disappeared along with her sinister presence.

My reality was epically shattered and so was my fairytale.

* * *

**A/N: Any thoughts on Jake's mother? **


	18. Bella's Hunter

**A/N: ****The first part of this chapter takes place after Bella's confrontation with Cora.  
**

**She's on her way home when she runs into the douchiest guys on the planet.  
**

**Rated M for language.  
**

* * *

'Hey Swan! Why don't you get in the car and show me what you're hiding under those seashells?'

'Yeah. There's room for you on my lap.' Conrad snickered.

I flipped both idiots the bird and quickened my strides, wiping my tears with the back of my hand.

'We won't bite, but we'll definitely show you a good time.' William chuckled, steering his Porsche closer to the sidewalk.

Conrad suddenly opened the passenger door and blocked my path with his tacky vampire costume.

'You look delicious.' He devilishly grinned, licking his fangs while openly staring at my cleavage.

"Leave me alone."

I darted past him but he grabbed my arm and spun me around so fast, I almost tripped and fell over my mermaid tail.

'We're not done with you yet.'

'No we are _not_.' William nodded, adjusting his Grim Reaper cloak. 'You owe us both an apology for acting like a pretentious bitch.'

"_Fuck you,_ Princeton!" I snapped. "I don't _owe_ you anything."

'Yes you do!' His Ken Doll features contorted with anger as he got out of the car and joined us on the sidewalk. 'See, not only did you insult Connie by slapping him, but you've also tarnished our reputation by not putting out.'

"Are you freakin kidding me right now?"

'Nope.' Conrad tugged on my wrist, sending me crashing into his ivy-league chest. He smelled like beer and cigars with a hint of expensive aftershave. 'And since your mother's out of town, how about you invite us in for a little _tete-a-tete_...hmmm?' He trailed my neck with the pads of his fingers, keeping a tight grip on my arm.

'I promise it'll be worth it.'

'Yeah. We'll even give you a little treat.' William whispered in my ear, his hands gliding up my spine.

"Let go of me!" I shouted, anchoring my heels to the sidewalk as they tried to drag me towards the Porsche.

'Shhhh.' Conrad clamped a hand over my mouth in an effort to shut me up. 'Calm down, Swan, we're not going to hurt you.'

'STEP AWAY FROM THE GIRL!"

A loud, booming voice sliced through the air, forcing Conrad to loosen his hold on me.

'Holy shit.'

.

.

.

My own voice got stuck in my throat at the sight of the tall, broad shouldered man who managed to scare the hell out of the idiots behind me.

They practically scrambled into the car without giving me a second glance, their gazes trained on the giant who was slowly approaching us.

Hunter's forest green eyes zeroed in on William's precious Porsche as it sped past him. The tires squealed as it swerved around the corner, making me cringe at the sound.

"Fuck." I sank down on the pavement and buried my head in my lap.

_This cannot be happening..._

'Bella...'

Hunter's shadow blocked out the light shining from the overhead streetlamp. His husky voice reminded me of Jake and that's when the waterworks began.

I sobbed into my hands and allowed him to carry me all the way to the house.

'Jake's mother is watching him like a hawk, so he sent me on his behalf.'

"She's so mean!" I wailed into his leather jacket. "Meaner than my own mother."

'Yeah, I've experienced her bitchiness first hand.' Hunter frowned. 'She's a real piece of work.'

"Tell me about it." I sniffed. "She so judgmental and she doesn't even know me."

He sighed and pushed open the front door with his black canvas shoes. 'I'm sorry you had to face her on your own.'

"Me too."

.

.

.

I angrily tossed my wig on the couch and plopped my ass on the soft cushions. "I'm sick and tired of being bullied like a first grader!"

Hunter sat across from me and shrugged out of his jacket, his gorgeous blonde hair falling into his eyes like a lush curtain.

'_Bullied?_ You almost got kidnapped out there.' He countered, resting both elbows on his jean-clad thighs.

His tongue darted out to lick his lips and a tiny, silver piercing made itself known in the chandelier lights of the living room.

"Oh my God. Is that a tongue ring?"

'Yep.' Hunter grinned, wagging his tongue for added effect. 'It's a statement of sorts.'

"Wow. I had no idea that Jake's best friend was a bad boy."

'I'm definitely the black sheep of the family.' He draped his jacket over the arm chair, displaying a set of lithe muscles in the process.

"Really? I thought Atlantean men were impeccably groomed and disciplined. Guess I was wrong."

'Nah. I'm more of a rebel, according to the Royal Family.' Hunter smirked.

"Welcome to the club!" I exclaimed, releasing my hair from its confines. "If it weren't for those stupid circumstances, I would've high-fived you right now."

Hunter's compassionate smile and overall cheerfulness prevented me from crying in my cornflakes, so to speak.

He promised to teach William and Conrad a lesson and vowed to bring Princess back as soon as possible.

He also revealed that he was going to stay with me until further notice!

'I'm supposed to report back to Knight Duty at the end of the month but until then, I'll be your official bodyguard.'

"Wait a sec...you're a _knight?_"

Hunter's forest green eyes twinkled in response, his thick lashes fluttering like tiny golden wings.

'A knight in training, yeah.'

"Well, that explains your ripped muscles and those killer..._err._.never mind." I blushed, feeling my cheeks heat up under his scrutinizing gaze.

Something about him reminded me of Jake...

Maybe it was his taste in clothes, or the way he ran his long fingers through his soft hair, or maybe it was the fact that he genuinely seemed to like me.

Shit.

.

.

.

_I should've seen that coming, but I didn't._

.

.

.

* * *

'Bella!'

.

.

.

'Rise and shine, Sleeping Beauty.'

.

.

"Jan?"

I woke up to find January lounging on my bed with a cup of coffee in her hand.

She prodded my ribs with her pink nails until I had no choice but to wiggle out from under the covers and shoot her a grumpy morning glare.

"What time is it?"

'It's almost noon.' She replied, pinching my arm all of a sudden.

"Ouch! What the fudge was that for?" I whined, rubbing the sore spot with my fingers.

'That's for ditching my B-day, and this...' She pinched my cheek, hard. 'Is for _not_ telling me about the hot piece of ass crashing on your jumbo air-mattress.'

'Who is he? Huh? Tell me!' She shook my shoulders, spilling coffee all over my sheets.

"Hey! Thanks for the caffeine shower." I muttered sarcastically.

'Sorry.' She set her cup down on the bedside table and hugged one of my pillows to her chest. 'I'm just _so_ confused!'

"Ha! Trust me. I'm confused too."

'Why? What happened to Jake? I thought you guys were finally on track.'

"We were." I sighed. "but his mother hates me, so..."

'OMG! Why didn't you tell me?'

"I umm...ran into her last night, and she basically warned me to stay away from him."

'Whoa! Last night?' January's expressive brown eyes widened in shock. 'You poor thing.' She reached out and hugged me. 'Jeez. Now I feel bad for making you carve out all those pumpkins, not to mention the balloons!'

"Don't be. I uh..didn't want to ruin your B-day with all my drama."

'Silly Bella. You know you can tell me _anything,_ right?'

"I know."

_Liar...liar...liar_

'So, what's Hunter's story?' She wiggled her thin eyebrows suggestively. 'Is he one of your mother's boy toys?'

"Nope. He's actually Jake's best friend." I replied, tugging on my PJ shorts.

'You mean, his _super hot_, fuckable BFF?_' _January giggled, her freckled cheeks turning into a ripe tomato.

"He's totally your type, isn't he? I knew it the moment I laid eyes on him!"

'Shhhh...keep your voice down.' Her eyes darted to my bedroom door. 'Yes, he's my type, but I already have a boyfriend.'

"Yeah well, at least one of us is in a happy, committed relationship." I grumbled.

'Is Hunter single? 'cause me thinks he's got a teensy weensy crush on you.'

"Jan, don't _even_ go there!" I warned my best friend.

She was currently grinning like a Cheshire cat while making suggestive gestures with her hands.

'Oh come on! It's not like you and Jake are _officially_ together.' She remarked. 'Besides, the guy is like, a _ten_ on the Richter Scale!'

"Did you just compare Hunter to an earthquake?" I rolled my eyes at her.

'Yes.' She nodded enthusiastically. 'You need someone who can rock your world, Bella. Someone who's _not_ afraid to be with you.'

"Are you _seriously_ suggesting that I hook up with Jake's _best_ friend?"

'I don't see why not.' She innocently shrugged. 'Jacob's obviously a momma's boy.'

"No..._no_...it's not like that at all." I argued.

'Then how come you're still single, huh?'

"I..."

'See?' She arched her trademark -know it all- eyebrow. 'If Jake genuinely cared about you, he would've asked you to be his girlfriend.'

"He does care about me!" I huffed, folding my arms across my chest.

'Keep telling yourself that.' She waved me off, swinging her legs over the side of the bed. 'In the meantime, I'll be downstairs, asking Hunter a bunch of inappropriate questions.'

"Jan!"

'Ciao, Bella!'

.

.

.

* * *

I had no idea how Hunter was able to convince January that he was from Iceland. _No _idea.

He also told her that he was currently _single _and that he loved women in all shapes and sizes.

I almost choked on my coffee when he admitted to having sex at least three times a week, if not more.

_Yeah, he had no verbal filter whatsoever. _

'Your cheeks are burning up.' He observed, stabbing his scrambled eggs with his fork.

"Umm...yeah. I'm prone to blushing."

'Why? Does the subject of sex make you uncomfortable?'

"No! I'm cool." I cleared my throat. "It's just that, I didn't expect you to be so..."

'Ungentlemanly?' He interjected.

"Of course not." I tucked a strand of hair behind my ear. "All I'm saying is that you're a lot different from Jake."

'True.' He nodded, his aristocratic features and fair skin reminding me of the fictional elf knights I read about in my faeri books.

'I've been nicknamed the -dark knight- on countless occasions.' He added.

"Really?"

'Yep.' He grinned. 'Jake and I are polar opposites. Not that it's a bad thing, but that's how we're both perceived in the public eye.'

.

.

.

* * *

After breakfast, Hunter stepped outside for a cigarette break, then we went to the mall (because he was dying to sample the entire food court).

He was like a kid in the candy store, munching on fries and sipping on his soda with unbridled passion.

'This is _so_ good.' He moaned, taking another bite out of his double cheese hamburger.

A bunch of high school girls giggled as they watched him from afar.

Mothers stopped by to check him out on their way to the escalator, their eyes bugging out of their sockets in the process.

I literally had to drag him out of the food court by violently tugging on his graffiti shirt.

"Jesus, you're going to overdose on fast food." I snatched the extra large packet of French fries from him and tossed it in the trash. "Enough already!"

'You're no fun, young lady.' He pouted. 'Do you have any idea how long I've wanted to try those curly fries?'

"Sorry!" I giggled at his puppy dog expression. "I had no idea you were a French fry addict like me."

'I prefer the term _food porn_ addict.' He smirked.

"Ok then, Mr. FPA, let's head down to the supermarket. I need to stock up the fridge in case the Queen decided to put me on house arrest."

.

.

.

* * *

We ended up buying a a bunch of frozen food items from the supermarket, including pasta, pizza and microwavable lasagna.

I introduced Hunter to the magical world of Pop Tarts and cherry Twizzlers, and he insisted on paying for everything.

He wouldn't take no for an answer so I backed off until I saw him give the cashier girl two hundred bucks instead of a hundred.

He had a hard time figuring out the difference between the green dollar bills, which was so ridiculously endearing.

"You're such a tourist." I teased him while he unloaded the paper bags in the trunk.

'Can you blame me?' He chuckled. 'I'm new to this whole cosmopolitan experience.'

"Seriously?"

'Yep.' Hunter nodded. 'I've only been to our sister island in the Mediterranean and their official language is Italian.' He pushed the shopping cart away from the car as he spoke. 'The women are hot, but the major touristic attractions are in the actual city of Rome.'

"What? You mean _Oceanus_ and its sister islands are boring?" I pretended to be in complete and utter shock.

_Any country that didn't have a fast food joint was considered boring in my dictionary._

'There's not much to do if you're in your twenties, so most of us end up island hopping for a while.'

"Island hopping? This sounds _faaaar_ from boring."

'_Exactly_...and that's why we do it.' Hunter crammed his six foot, O_lympic swimmer_ frame into my mother's tiny convertible.

I lowered the roof as he slid in beside me, looking like a white shark stuck inside a sardine can.

We made it to the house in less than ten minutes and I found myself smiling while I watched him put away the groceries in the freezer.

He was in love with the kitchen, especially the toaster for some weird reason.

I caught him staring at me while I popped our frozen dinner in the microwave, his catlike eyes studying my face intently.

"_What?_"

'Nothing.' He shrugged, leaning against the stainless steel fridge. 'You just remind me of someone.'

"Who? And please don't say Megan Fox 'cause I can't stand her."

'Me neither.' He ran his long fingers through his hair. 'I was gonna say my _ex_.'

"Oh."

'Yeah...you uh...have the same eyes, and...'

Hunter's silver ring started blinking all of a sudden, and I instantly knew it was a phone-call from either Sam or Jacob.

It had to be.

'I gotta take this.' He gave me an apologetic look and slipped past the French doors leading to the backyard.

I waited until his back was facing the kitchen and then I quietly followed him in an attempt to eavesdrop on the conversation.

.

.

.

'Wait, _what? _He's getting _engaged_?...When?...okay...no...dude this is fucked up...what do you mean Cora announced their engagement?!...no...you have to stop this!...Sam...no I won't calm down...if Bella finds out...you want me to lie?...fuck you...no...'

_No._

**NO.**

Engaged?

Jake is getting engaged?


	19. Stormy Knight

**A/N: I know most of you miss Prince Jacob, but his absence is necessary for the storyline.**

**Hunter is gaining a handful of fans though ;)  
**

**Rated M for adult themes and language.**

* * *

Jacob's engagement was announced via his own mother who apparently had a flare for the dramatic.

She even sent me en e-mail attachment showing Jacob getting cozy with _Ondine_, his future wife.

Yes, Cora was a mean bitch and I was her primary target.

Hunter tried to calm me down but I was mad at hell.

How did _Medusa_ get her hands on my e-mail address anyway?

_How dare she? _

It was obvious that the wedding was already in the works prior to this whole debacle.

My relationship with Jacob was the catalyst that added flame to the engagement fire, forcing her to announce it to the public.

I _hated_ her.

_I hated her SO much._

They wouldn't even let me talk to Jake which only made matters worse.

I felt _utterly_ abandoned and beyond helpless at this point.

My own mother had decided to stay in Paris for the entire fall (along with her lap-dog _JP_) and Prince Charming was AWOL for the time being.

Fudge my life! Seriously.

'Bella, calm the fuck down!' Hunter exclaimed in sheer frustration.

He spent the entire night chain-smoking in the garden until he heard me yelling and cursing at my Macbook.

"I can't, alright?! This is just _too_ much. I can't let that bitch win."

'Look, those photos she sent you were taken over a year ago.' Hunter tried to reason with me but I was too damn stubborn to listen.

"Does Jake at _least _have a say in this fuckery?" I ranted. "How about his dad? His friends? Oh right, they're _pussies_ just like their Prince."

'_Bella_, things are a lot more complicated than that, and please don't call me a _pussy_.' He protested. 'None of us are.'

"Whatever..." I muttered on my way to the front door.

'Where the hell do you think you're going? It's two in the fucking morning!'

"I'm gonna give _mommy dearest _a piece of my mind."

'The hell you are!' Hunter darted past me and blocked the corridor with his tall, menacing frame.

"Fuck off, blondie." I spat at him.

'You're a real firecracker, aren't you?' He laughed humorlessly, hazel eyes burning into mine.

"Yep." I nodded. "and if you don't get out of the way, I'm going to kick you in the balls, so it's your move, knight."

'You're not going _anywhere_ and that's final.'

"_Beep!_ Wrong answer." I quickly turned around and headed for the back door.

'Bella, STOP!'

I ran as fast as I could, jumping over the picket fence and taking my usual short cut to the beach.

The moon was a no-show that night and the clouds were definitely heavy with rain.

It was uncharacteristically cold and windy by the time I set foot on the soft sand. The tide was super high and the wind kept pushing me towards the ominous waters.

'Bella!'

Hunter was a few meters behind, his golden hair barely visible in the dark.

I struggled against the wind, shielding my face from the harsh sand and ocean spray.

"Shit."

The Forbidden Cave seemed so far away.

_Jesus, Bella. What the eff are you doing?_

The voice of reason finally made an appearance in my foolish brain, advising me to go home and forget about Cora.

Jake was probably placating her with his engagement to _Ondine _so I might as well take a chill-pill and lay low for a while.

It was the right thing to do, but I was fond of making statements so I resumed my disastrous trek to the stupid cave, fully aware that Hunter was seconds away from tackling me to the ground.

'There's a storm coming!' He shouted over the whistling wind.

I ignored him, choosing to jog faster, my thighs burning from the extra pressure.

Sure I was fast but he was gaining momentum, and soon enough, he was holding me hostage in his strong grip.

'Are you out of your fucking mind?!' He panted harshly against my ear, keeping his arms locked tight around my waist.

"Pretty much yeah. Jake didn't warn you, did he?"

'No, but you obviously have a death wish!' Hunter spun me around to face him and boy was he pissed off. 'Getting yourself killed is not an option, Bella. Do you understand me?'

"Yes, sir." I rolled my eyes at him. "I _understand_."

He huffed in response and hoisted me off the sand. 'Silly teenage girl. You never think before you act, do you?'

"Bite me, blondie!"

'Blow me, _princess!_' He retorted, yanking me closer to his chest.

I could see his angry expression in the dim street lights, but what stunned me the most were his eyes. They _totally_ changed color, like a mood ring...shifting from green to obsidian.

Holy muffin!

"Jeez, you're _nothing_ like Jake, are you?"

'No, I'm not, and if you expect me to worship your reckless ass anytime soon, then you're _definitely_ delusional.'

Hunter's words were greeted by a violent clap of thunder, forcing me to cling to his neck like a freaked out kitten.

"Fine! _Okay_. Just take me home please."

* * *

The storm escalated into a full-on thunder orchestra accompanied by pelting rain...

_Thank you, mother nature._

I tossed and turned in bed for an hour before mustering up the courage to go downstairs where Hunter was sleeping soundly on his air-mattress.

He was lying on his back, chest covered in beautiful ocean-themed tattoos.

I spotted a starfish on his left pectoral and a dolphin under his left arm.

Dark blue waves adorned his torso and they actually shifted when he moved!

"Holy shit!" I gasped out loud, edging closer to the mattress.

The yellow starfish floated down his nipple like a life-like creature and the coy-fish which was curled around his belly button disappeared below his waistline.

'Enjoying the show?' Ocean's eyes fluttered open, lips curling into a lazy smile.

"Jesus! You scared me."

Lightning flashed out the window, followed by a loud crack of thunder.

I literally screamed and climbed on top of the spacious mattress, diving under the sheets like a chicken.

_Yikes. What's with the horror-movie timing?_

'You okay in there?'

"No."

Hunter chuckled when I scooted closer to him, head buried in the pillow like an ostrich. "Please tell me you're not naked."

'I'm _not_ naked.' He replied in an amused voice.

"Ok."

_Gosh, how embarrassing_, I thought.

'Would you like me to read you a bedtime story?' He snickered.

"Haha." I resurfaced from under the sheets with my trademark sardonic smile. "Is this how you talk girls into sleeping with you?"

'Excellent question.' Hunter smirked. 'Well, I've never bedded a woman who's scared of thunder before, but like they say, there's a _first_ time for everything.' He winked.

"Wow, and you're supposed to be Jake's best friend, huh?"

'You asked for it, Bella.' Hunter raised an eyebrow, his gaze drifting to my accidental cleavage.

I cleared my throat and tugged on the comforter, but he held on to it with a mischievous grin, blonde hair falling into his eyes...

I tried to think of a clever comeback, but his magic tattoo was_ epically _distracting.

'It's called a motion tattoo.' Hunter explained, taking my right hand and pressing it to his inked skin.

The starfish followed the motion of my fingers and so did the waves.

They rose and fell every time I touched them.

"It's amazing."

'Yeah it is, isn't it?' He smiled. 'Jake wanted to get one but it's in complete violation of the Royal Code.'

"That sucks." I sighed. "Why can't he be a party animal like Prince Harry? Now he's totally _err_...never mind."

I was going to say fuckable...

'He's _totally_ what?' Hunter prodded.

"Nothing."

_**BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!**_

I flinched at the evil clap of thunder, my body automatically grabbing onto his broad shoulders.

'You're such a _chicken_.' He remarked.

"Call me a chicken one more time..."

He started making those annoying chicken sounds until I was forced to clamp his mouth shut with the palm of my hand.

"How old are you? Twenty-four? Yeah, _right_."

Hunter gave me a challenging look before rolling on top of me like a stealthy jaguar and pinning my wrists to the mattress. 'You _humans_ are afraid of everything. Insects, rodents, wild animals...it's kinda pathetic if you ask me.'

"That's kinda racist...and FYI, I'm _only_ afraid of thunder storms." I corrected him, unable to resist sniffing his collarbone.

Dude smelled good. Like, white musk _good_.

_Damn him and his dashing elf looks._

I was tempted to run my fingers through his legendary golden hair...

Seriously...

If Daenerys Targaryen and Legolas Greenleaf had a baby, it would be Hunter.

'Bella?'

"Yeah?"

'I _really_ wanna kiss you right now.'

_Whoa.._

_I must be hallucinating 'cause there's no way this is happening._

_The storm was messing with our heads...yeah, that's it._

Hunter's tongue darted out to lick his lips, his tongue-ring flirting with my slutty teenage hormones.

_You've always wanted to kiss a guy who had a tongue-ring, it's even in your bucket list!_

_Bad...bad hormones...  
_

_What the hell's wrong with me?_

I was about to pull a _Serena van der Woodsen_ and lock lips with Jake's best friend.

Hunter studied my face for a few seconds, his hazel eyes dark and unreadable.

'I wanna kiss you...' He repeated. 'But I won't, out of respect for Jake.'

_Fantastic!_

No really.

That should be the tagline for a bromance handbook.

I honestly did not know what to say at this point because:

a) It was three in the morning.

b) My brain was seconds away from shutting down.

c) Hunter's loyalty to Jake was skirting a red line, aka **ME**.

"Good call." I mumbled. "I mean, at least your hormones are in check, right?"

'Shhhhh.'

Hunter pressed a finger to his lips, his eyes scanning the living room with caution.

He rose to his feet in one fluid motion, shoulders tense, head titled to the side...

"What's wrong?"

'Someone's watching us.' He mouthed back, edging closer to the wall behind me.

I scrambled out of the mattress and wrapped the comforter around my thundering chest. "WHAT?"

Hunter's fist suddenly collided with the arctic blue wall, shattering an invisible surveillance camera known as the wireless bug.

'Mother fucker!' He cursed, bending down to examine the broken pieces_._

"How did you..." My voice trailed off, amazed by his ability to detect the hidden camera.

'Fuck..._fuck!_' He violently tugged on his hair, eyes darting across the room. 'I should've known she was gonna try and set us up, that bitch!'

"Set us up?" I gasped. "You mean...Jake saw..what happened...earlier?"

As if on cue, his ring started blinking, but it wasn't a video call..

It was a message from Jacob...

* * *

**A/N: Next time on A Girl's Guide to Forbidden Romance:**

**A certain someone finally DTRs ;)  
**

**Bella gets her mermaid back.  
**


	20. Forbidden Romance

**A/N: Prince Jake is back in this chapter! :)**

**Rated M for adult themes and language.**

* * *

'As your future King, I command you to leave. NOW!'

Jacob's message was loud and clear.

He wanted Hunter gone.

I sucked in a deep breath, my eyes darting to the front door.

This was all my fault.

If I hadn't crawled into Hunter's bed, none of this would've happened.

'Bella…'

Hunter reached out to touch me but I recoiled from him.

See, my heart knew what it wanted, but my body was not on the same page.

It was torn between two fine specimens…

Jacob, who was probably out of my league not because of his title, but because of his character.

He was gentle and caring, not to mention humble and poised.

He was beyond amazing…

Then there's Hunter, who cussed like a sailor, smoked like a chimney, had tattoos and worshipped fast food…

We had so much in common, plus he'd probably call me out on my shit and call me a bitch if I acted like one.

I was a teenage grenade, in danger of exploding at any given moment.

Auntie Destiny must be blind 'cause I was _no_ Princess.

A Princess would've rejected Hunter's advances…

She would've said -_No way in hell- _when he told her he wanted to kiss her.

Tears sprung to my eyes at the thought of losing Jake to Miss Atlantis, aka _Ondine_.

There's no denying that she was gorgeous as fuck.

She looked like a young Nicole Kidman with diamonds around her neck and a tiara in her _shampoo ad_ hair.

Jake was probably going to marry her after watching that shitty video footage of Hunter lying on top of me.

"You should go." I told him, moving to sit on the comfy arm chair.

'I will.' He nodded. 'But before I go, I want you to know one thing…' His hazel eyes bore into mine. 'I'm destined to be your Knight just like Jake's destined to be your Prince, so you'll always have my protection, whether you want it or not.'

"Ok." I shrugged, hugging my knees to my chest.

'Alright.' He swallowed, picking up his t-shirt along with the rest of his stuff. 'Goodbye for now, Princess.'

"Wait!"

Hunter froze in the hallway, hair shining like gold beneath the bright spotlights.

"Are you…I mean, will you be in trouble because of this?"

'I highly doubt it.' He casually swung his duffel back over one shoulder. 'Jake probably wants you all to himself now that Cora's purposefully trying to sabotage you.'

"You really think so?"

'Yep.' He replied. 'Seeing you succumbing to my charms might be a good thing after all.'

"I hardly _succumbed_ to anything." I objected.

'Whatever you say, Princess.' Hunter winked at me before disappearing down the hall.

"Stop calling me that!"

.

.

.

* * *

I almost had an orgasm when Jacob showed up all wet and sexy from the ongoing rain outside.

His body was molded in black leather and his long hair was soaking wet, dripping all over the marble floors.

He literally looked like he'd just stepped out of a Backstreet Boys video.

_Quit Playing Games With My Heart, anyone?_

I had totally forgotten how intense his eyes were, especially in the dark.

They held me captive for a _really_ long time.

It was like I couldn't breathe or move…

My heart was beating so fast…

In the meantime, Jake just stood there, staring at me, full lips parted, fingers curled around the doorknob.

The rustle of leaves combined with the terrifying sound of thunder made me shiver and tug hard on my PJ top.

The fabric strained against my bra, exposing the lace-trimmed demi cups.

Jake's onyx eyes traveled the length of my neck, his Adam's apple bobbing up and down when they finally landed on my breasts.

He swallowed thickly then took a step forward, slamming the door shut with his foot.

I instantly let go of my shirt, my own legs retreating to the cold wall behind me.

The intensity of Jake's gaze was _so_ overwhelming, goosebumps attacked my skin and my mouth felt dry as a desert.

I instinctively closed my eyes, ears listening to the rain as it bombarded the French windows.

Jake was uncharacteristically quiet, like a panther…ready to pounce at any minute.

His fingers ghosted over my top, deftly unfastening the pearly buttons.

Butterflies fluttered inside my stomach and I couldn't help but peek down at his russet hands…

They swiftly undid the third button before fishing out a small jewelry box from his pocket.

"J-Jake?"

My voice was squeakier than a mouse, accurately mirroring my current state of shock when Prince Charming lifted the lid to reveal a diamond encrusted locket with the letter _B_ carved into its golden surface.

'I was going to give you this on your birthday, but it seems like we won't be seeing each other after tonight.'

He winked at me afterwards, mouthing the words: just go with_ it,_ so I did.

I pretended to be upset for the next five minutes while he deactivated all surveillance cameras, starting with the one in my bedroom.

Yes, there was actually one in my BEDROOM!

Hunter was apparently too busy eating junk food to check the house for bugs.

'All done.'

"Thank God! I was just about to…"

Jake swallowed the rest of my sentence, his lips descending on mine like a hungry vulture.

He kissed me hard, tongue plundering my mouth, tasting my mint toothpaste.

He then hoisted me up effortlessly, the jewelry box digging into my thigh as he carried me upstairs to my boudoir.

His clothes were making me wet, literally soaking my pajama bottoms.

I locked my ankles behind his back, enjoying his ungentlemanly behavior for as long as possible.

Meanwhile, I tugged on his long hair, forcing him to kiss me deeper.

He groaned in response, his stubble scratching my face each time his mouth connected with mine.

We stumbled into my bedroom like a pair of horny muffins, hands groping, lips smacking, leather squishing…

Jacob pulled away once we reached the canopy bed, his hands briefly grinding me against his crotch before sliding me down his delectable body.

'Turn around.' He ordered in his sexy, bedroom voice.

My fogged up brain barely registered his words, thanks to the lack of oxygen in my lungs.

Kissing Jake was like being underwater; you're too caught up in the moment to realize that you need to breathe.

Once I turned around, he brushed my hair to the side, dropping a quick kiss on my neck.

'Happy birthday, Bells.'

He clasped the necklace around my neck, warm fingers flirting with my cleavage…

_Those Agent Provocateur bras were indeed a miracle._

Jake probably got an eyeful of my nipples when he first undid my buttons.

_Not that I'm complaining…_

'Open it.'

His rich chocolate-y voice melted my hormones, molding them into something primal…

They were rising to the surface like lava, so I quickly opened the heart-shaped locket, trying to focus on the inscription written inside.

_**To my beautiful Swan,**_

_**Happy Birthday.**_

_**Lots of love,**_

_**Jake**_

There was a photo of the two of us at Leo's birthday party inside the locket as well.

We were both smiling at the camera, Jake's epic gorgeousness radiating from the tiny picture like radioactive uranium.

"It's…beautiful."

He was _beautiful_…

His gift made my heart swell with pride and affection.

"I don't deserve this." I choked out, unable to hide my emotions any longer.

'Don't say that.' Jake hugged me to his chest, hands stroking my back.

"No, it's true…" My eyes watered at my admission. "I was this close to kissing Hunter tonight _without_ even giving it a second thought."

'Bella…'

"So you can go ahead and marry Ondine, at least she's more suited for you…unlike me." I babbled. "Seriously, I'm a complete mess…"

'No.' Jake insisted. 'You're young and undeniably brave for facing the wrath of my mother.'

"_Brave_ is an overstatement." I objected, rubbing my tear-stained cheek against his shirt.

'You're too hard on yourself.' His lips caressed my forehead. 'So what if you were tempted to kiss Hunter? It's completely understandable given the circumstances.'

He dug his hand in his left pocket and fished out yet another jewelry box.

'My engagement is nothing but a formality.' Jake added. 'Ondine is in love with another man so we decided to play my mother's game until we figure out a way to outsmart her.'

"Really?"

'Yes, really.' He nodded. 'Now please stop crying because I have another surprise for you.'

"Ok."

I wiped my tears and almost squealed in delight when Jake opened the box to reveal a golden ring with a blue heart-shaped diamond in the center.

'This ring is similar to the one I gave you.' He picked it up and slipped it on my middle finger. 'All you have to do is press on the stone and _Pearl_ will appear.'

"Get out!" I shrieked.

Jake chuckled at my reaction, and I instantly activated the ring, jumping excitedly at the prospect of seeing my little mermaid again.

"Oh Jake, thanks so much!" I pecked his lips and waited for Pearl to grace us with her presence.

Her blue hair popped out of the stone, followed by her cute little features and emerald green scales.

'Bella!' She floated toward my face, virtually hugging my nose.

I giggled and blew her a kiss. "Pearly! I missed you!"

'Me too.' She beamed.

'You ladies need a moment?' Jacob smirked, playfully ruffling my hair.

"We need more than just a _moment_…" I grinned. "But it can wait."

'Good.' His eyes held me captive once more. 'Because there's something I need to tell you.'

Pearl seemed to take the hint, waving goodbye to us on her way back to the ring.

"What is it?"

'I…really am going to miss your birthday.' He divulged.

"Oh…" My shoulders slumped in disappointment. "Why?"

Jake guided me to sit on the bed, and I suddenly realized that his clothes were dry.

_Whoa, that was fast._

'Mother thinks I'm here to end things with you for good.'

"Is that why you asked me to _just go with it_ earlier?"

'Yes.' He sat down next to me, causing my poor bed to creak in protest.

"So, how long are we going to keep up this charade?"

Jacob sighed. 'Four months…maybe five.'

"_Four months_?!" I practically yelled. "That's like…more than a hundred _freakin_ days!"

'I _know_ it's an awfully long time.'

"Ya think?" I muttered sarcastically, folding my arms across my chest.

'Hey…look at me.' He gently nudged my chin.

"I fucking hate your mother."

'Duly noted, Bells.'

"She's incorrigible." I added with a pout.

'Indeed she is.' Jake scooted closer and hoisted me onto his lap. 'But that's only because she knows I'm…' He hesitated, eyes searching mine.

"She _knows_ you're what?" I prodded, clasping the locket to my chest.

.

.

'She knows I'm in love with you.'


	21. A Girl's Guide to Royal Sex

**A/N: It seems like everybody hates Cora.**

**She's been called: Ms. Queen Ice Bitch/Wicked Witch of The Sea/Cruella de Mom and Monster in Law! :)  
**

**I thank you all for your entertaining reviews, I loved every single one of them.  
**

**Hunter was definitely a _handsome distraction_ and he'll be back ;) **

**In the meantime, here's another yummy slice of Prince Jacob.  
**

**Rated M for adult themes (_mega sexy sexiness in this chapter_) and language.  
**

* * *

**Suggested Listening**

**Rui Da Silva feat. Cassandra - Touch Me  
**

**BT feat. Kirsty Hawkshaw- A Million Stars  
**

* * *

I was stunned into silence by Jake's admission.

It sounded so surreal rolling off his tongue…delivered by his sexy voice…

He offered me so much tonight…diamonds, gold, _Pearl_…

The L-word was the icing on the cake; a _cake_ I didn't deserve.

I suddenly remembered my mother's words…_Swans don't fall in love, they don't say the L-word and sometimes they don't even express it._

My heart knew Jake was the one and my body was eager to show him just how much he meant to me.

"You _love_ me?" I craned my neck to get a better look at his face, my hand tightening around the heart-shaped locket.

'Yes…I love _you_.' He enunciated, tapping my nose with his finger.

"Say it again." I stroked his lower lip with the pad of my thumb, tracing his petal soft skin.

I felt deprived of affection, hungry for a word that's been absent from my life since grandpa's death.

'I love you, honey.' Jake whispered, his breath washing over my skin like warm chocolate. 'I think I fell in love with you when I was twelve years old.'

My heart did this wild thump within my chest, threatening to burst out of my ribcage.

'You were my very first love, Bells, and hopefully my last.' He kissed my hand, his lips scorching my skin.

I was a panting mess by the time he kissed my eager lips, guiding me to straddle his lap.

I wanted to drown in his arms and never resurface.

"Jake..." I breathed his name with a needy moan, hands pawing at his leather jacket.

He quickly shrugged out of it, mouth desperately seeking mine.

I threaded my fingers through his long hair, hungrily devouring his lips.

His hands ventured lower, exploring uncharted territory, cupping my butt and grinding me against him.

I gasped into his mouth, chasing the delicious friction provided by his zipper.

He was acting so unlike his usual self, desperately holding on to me like I was going to disappear at any minute.

The grinding escalated to second base with Jake kneading and squeezing my breasts, his moist tongue licking the shell of my ear.

It was like the floodgates had opened, literally _and_ figuratively speaking.

I begged him to undress me, using my dirty talk to spur him on, pretending to be a seductress tempting her Prince.

I took advantage of his desperate touch, knowing we won't be seeing each other for another four months and unfastened his zipper, releasing him from the confines of his boxers.

He was big…and _unbelievably_ hard.

'Bella...'

Jake hissed when I first touched him, his hands dropping from my body to clench the sheets in his fists.

My fingers slowly explored him as I tried to figure out a proper hand job mechanism.

I wasn't kidding when I said he was BIG, and my lack of experience was proving to be both good and bad at the same time.

I used two hands to stroke him, carefully studying his face for any signs of discomfort.

He closed his eyes on an upward stroke, his back colliding with the mattress as I kept a steady rhythm going, fueled by my curiosity and the desire to please him.

I heard him curse for the very first time when I added a twisting motion to my strokes.

'Fuck..._ungh_…Bells…'

'Harder…'

"Like this?"

'Yessssss.'

Seconds later, his hand closed over mine, showing me exactly how to touch him.

_It was the most erotic thing I've ever done in my life._

His big russet hand guided me up and down, faster and _faster _until he orgasmed like a champ, spilling all over my thighs…

He quietly moaned by name, thick lashes fluttering against his gorgeous cheekbones.

His _O-face_ was worthy of a royal sex-tape.

I didn't even realize that I was still petting his peen until it jerked beneath my hand.

It was a very pretty peen…_err_…compared to the ones I've seen online.

'Hi...'

"Hey…"

Jacob's sated expression was a major turn on.

He was just lying there on my bed, begging to be fucked.

"You're _so_…" My voice trailed off when he suddenly tangled his fingers in my hair, dragging me down for an epically languid kiss.

I cupped his jaw and leaned over him, swallowing his sexy guttural groans.

My lips ventured past his mouth, licking and sucking on his sweaty collarbone.

I wanted his shirt off, so he complied, pulling it over his head in a hurry.

My hands quickly unbuttoned my shirt as well, sending it flying across the room.

'Bells...'

Jacob's dark eyes landed on my bra, hungrily devouring my pebbled nipples.

I was _beyond_ turned on and so was his Highness.

He was obviously ready for round two, and I was more than willing to lose my V-card so I brought his hand to the waistband of my shorts, silently asking him to take it off.

"Touch me…_please_…"

He licked his lips and chose to kiss me instead.

"No." I panted against his mouth. "If you really love me, then show me."

I got rid of my shorts, revealing my sheer beige panties that left nothing to the imagination.

'Bella, we don't have to do this.' Jake argued, trying to hide his arousal but failing miserably.

"Yes we do." I straddled his lap, rubbing my panties along his ridged abdomen. "I'm done waiting, Jake. We both are."

Jacob's penetrating gaze held me captive as his fingers glided up my spine, tracing the hooks on my bra.

'Are you sure?'

"Oh I'm more than sure…I'm _way_ beyond sure right now."

I didn't shy away from his lustful eyes when he finally unclasped my bra.

I wanted to show him that I was capable of being sultry, sexy and confident.

His reaction was definitely worth it, and I couldn't help but lean forward and kiss him chest to chest…nose to nose…

Rihanna's _California King Bed_ butted into my train of thought, colliding with a bunch of other love songs in my head.

I considered lighting up some candles and dimming the lights, but Jake was making it hard to concentrate on anything but his tongue.

He tortured me with his hot breath when he planted open mouthed kisses on my breasts, whispering a string of foreign words into my flushed skin.

I almost had a blush attack when he flipped me over onto my back and tore my panties off with one swift tug.

"Prince Jacob!"

I gaped at his Royal Highness in shock, not expecting him to be so damn _naughty_ in bed.

'Sorry.' He apologized, rolling out of bed to get rid of his jeans and boxers.

His silky hair fell around his face like a curtain, reminding me of an x-rated cover of a romance novel.

His _crown jewels _were utterly distracting.

'Condoms?'

"Huh?"

He chuckled in response, climbing on top of my bed like a mountain lion.

I was suddenly aware of the ongoing storm outside.

The wind was picking up speed and so was my heart.

It was thundering in my ears by the time I fished out the condoms from my bedside drawer.

I was nervous but also excited…giddy and shamelessly obsessed with Jake's penis.

My teenage hormones were begging me to just get it over with already but Prince Charming had something else in mind.

He lounged right next to me, balancing his head on one hand while stroking me with his dexterous fingers.

He carefully studied my face, changing the pace of said fingers whenever I was close to coming.

He made me beg and plead and scratch his chest with my blunt nails.

"Jake, don't _tease_." I moaned, tugging on my hair in frustration.

Jacob silenced me with a kiss, his body rolling on top of me, russet skin also covered in a thin sheen of sweat.

The bed creaked under his weight, threatening to crash at any given minute.

I closed my eyes, grinding against his hand, chasing after my orgasm…

He somehow knew it was coming and started working me faster…_harder_…mouth latching on to my nipple…

Electricity coursed through my veins, forcing me to grab onto his shoulders as tides of pleasure washed over me…

I shuddered, clamping my thighs around his waist and hugging him closer to me.

My entire body was on an orgasm high, riding the waves created by Jake.

I barely felt any pain when he finally entered me, my face buried in his chest.

'Bells…'

"I'm okay, just keep going."

Jacob's head was nowhere near mine due to our major height difference, so I resorted to kissing his pecs, feeling his muscles contract beneath my fingertips.

'Fuck. You feel so damn good.' He groaned, keeping a tight grip on my hips.

I cried out in pain once he was all the way in, stretching me to the hilt.

It hurt like a bitch and that's coming from someone with a high pain threshold.

'Sorry Bells.'

Jake tried to ease the pain with his fingers, reaching down to rub me as gently as possible.

Fast forward ten minutes later and I was begging him to go faster, moving my hips in rhythm with his thrusts.

A loud crack of thunder coincided with my second orgasm, drowning out my screams as I clung to Jake's slippery back.

He was nowhere near done yet, his quiet moans turning into desperate grunts as he chased after his own orgasm.

"I love you."

The words escaped my swollen lips before I could stop them.

They felt so ridiculously cliché with the rain pelting against the windows, especially when the lights went out all of a sudden, flooding the room in darkness.

Jacob arched his back and crushed me to his chest, rotating his hips in ways that made me shout _**YES **_repeatedly until we both reached our release.

My poor bed creaked in protest one last time before crashing as well, the mattress falling onto the carpet with a loud THUD.

We were too fucking high to care, especially Jake, whose face was currently nestled between my boobs.

'Hi...'

"Hey…" I panted, threading my fingers through his hair.

'Am I crushing you?'

"Nah, I feel like I'm cuddling a teddy bear." I giggled.

'Teddy bear? Really?' Jake chuckled.

'Mmmm…a limited edition boy toy who fucks like a champ.' I blurted out, earning a sweet, gentle kiss in the dark.

'I love your dirty mouth.' He kissed me one last time before reaching down and getting rid of his soiled condom.

His ring glowed to life with a snap of his finger, lighting up the room as he rolled out of bed and tossed the condom in the trash.

I sat up on my elbows, feeling sore as hell from our earlier romp.

It was _so_ worth it though.

'Wanna see something cool?' Jake grinned, sitting on the edge of the mattress with his ring pointed at the ceiling.

"Sure."

He scrolled through a dozen apps on his virtual screen until he found the one he was looking for.

'Give me your ring.'

I scooted closer and handed him my golden ring, draping my arms over his broad shoulders.

'Thank you.'

He dropped a quick kiss on my hand before activating the blue stone and placing it on the carpet next to us.

'Close your eyes.'

"Umm…ok."

I heard the rustle of fabric followed by more virtual swishing noises, then finally, the sound of crackling fire…

'Open your eyes, Princess.'

I did…and my eyes were instantly greeted by the sight of a glowing fireplace projected onto my bedroom wall, right across from the broken bed.

It looked so real, the orange flames were licking at the wood, resulting in more crackling noises.

It lit up the entire room, making it look so cozy and romantic.

"You really are the _lord of the rings_, aren't you?" I smiled, sliding my body under the covers.

'Wait until you see…this!' He plopped down on the bed and brought me closer to his side, urging me to take a look at the ceiling.

"_Oh my God_..."

A million stars were scattered in the sky like tiny little diamonds…

They glittered against the black background with the full moon in one corner, shining its luminous light on the bed.

'I thought we'd fall asleep under the stars tonight.' Jacob kissed the top of my head, making me grin from ear to ear.

"Mmmm…I'm _totally_ in love with you right now."

'Yeah? And..?' He nibbled on my ear, turning me into mush.

"And I'm _so_ glad you're here with me." I wrapped my arm around his waist, resting my head on his naked shoulder. "I- I don't want this night to end."

'Me too, honey…_me_ too.'


	22. Jacob's Rules

**A/N: Hi everyone! I know it's been a while so I hope you enjoy this chapter.**

**I read all your reviews and I will reply to them as soon as I can.  
**

**In the meantime, here's a treat for you.  
**

**Jacob's point of view as a Prince and the morning after his _magical_ night with Bella.  
**

**Rated M for adult themes and language.  
**

* * *

**Jacob POV**

Bella was still fast asleep when I received a rather urgent message from mother.

She was having breakfast with Philip, her advisor.

It was his idea to announce my engagement to Ondine so soon.

Her _Royal Highness_ wanted me back at the palace, threatening to send the Royal Guard after me if I fail to make an appearance by noon.

I hastily buttoned up my shirt and shrugged into my leather jacket.

Bella shifted in her sleep, her fingers tightly clasped around the golden locket dangling from her neck.

My eyes were drawn to her bare thighs, a reminder that she was _naked _beneath those sheets.

I didn't know how I was going to spend the next four months without her in my bed.

'Bells…'

"Mmmm…"

I gently nudged her shoulder, leaning down to kiss her forehead.

'Wake up.'

She looked so innocent, like a kitten opening her eyes for the very first time.

"What time is it?" She yawned, stretching her arms over her head.

The sheets slipped a little lower, exposing her nipples…

I felt all the blood in my head rush south, distracting me momentarily from my important task of…

"Jake! It's seven in the freakin morning. _Pleaaaase_ don't tell me you're leaving." Bella pouted, her tiny hands tugging me forward until I was inches from her tempting breasts.

She was surprisingly far from bashful when it came to nudity, _not _that I was complaining.

'I have to, Princess. My mother is going to have my head served on a platter if I don't show up for lunch.'

"But…but I was hoping for some _morning wood_ action." Her half-lidded eyes landed on my crotch.

I watched as her nipples hardened and her tongue darted out to lick her lips in a _very_ suggestive manner.

"I could...umm…give you a BJ if you want." She offered, pulling me closer, her hot breath teasing my sensitive earlobe.

For an eighteen year old she sure was confident in her sexuality, something I certainly lacked at her age.

We were so different and not just because of my _special_ upbringing.

Mother was smothering and overprotective so I grew up questioning myself and my choices every step of the way.

I rebelled against her more than once, but she was always one step ahead.

By the age of twelve, I was shy, withdrawn and insecure.

My only safe haven was the beach and Bella's grandfather who taught me how to use a fishing pole for the very first time.

It took me a while to build my confidence and grow into my role as a Prince.

Billy did his best to shield me from my mother's controlling tendencies but her extreme political views and ideology resulted in their inevitable divorce.

"Jakey. Stay with me." Bella kissed my cheek, bringing me out of my thoughts.

I looked into her doe eyes, wondering if I'll ever see her again.

Mother was no stranger when it came to empty threats, but Philip's hidden hand was behind _everything_ so far.

He made those threats a reality with or without her approval.

He was a dangerous, two-faced man…

'If you keep this up, we'll both be in trouble, Bells.'

She studied my face for a really long time, tracing my cheekbones with her fingertips.

"Are you going to give me a morning kiss or what? You sexy stud-muffin."

I chuckled at her use of this strange nickname.

The ladies I dated throughout my college years always preferred to call me Your Highness.

It was either that or Prince Jake.

Bella was the first to ever curse in my presence.

She didn't walk on eggshells around me which was both honest and refreshing.

'Just one?' I playfully kissed her bottom lip, my hands blindly seeking out her nipples.

She arched into my touch, offering me her body the same way she offered me her virginity.

"Stop teasing me…" She moaned, sliding her fingers to the base of my neck.

She tugged on my hair until I finally ravaged her mouth with my tongue.

She gasped when I cupped her small breasts.

Her soft, pliable skin was like putty in my hands.

She felt so soft and feminine in my arms, her breathy sighs and moans driving me to the brink of madness.

I opened my eyes, trying to rein in my libido.

Sex was certainly not an option.

Bella was probably sore and in need of a soothing bath so I forced myself to think about my mother in the hopes of getting rid of my boner.

My ring started blinking all of a sudden, putting an end to our heated kiss.

"Nooo…" Bella locked both her arms and legs around me, preventing me from getting up. "I'm not done with you yet!"

'Me neither, Bells, but duty calls. I'm already running late as it is.'

The bed creaked under my weight so I pulled us both into an upright position and sat her on my lap.

"Argh!" She huffed, draping the comforter over her shoulders.

She looked much younger with her long hair framing her pretty face.

I dropped a quick kiss on her lips, rubbing a hand up and down her back.

"I fucking hate this…" She folded both arms across her chest, pouty and petulant. "Why does your mother have to ruin everything?"

'She has this supposedly _secret_ vendetta against your mother and she simply takes pleasure in other people's misery.'

"Well, I hope somebody gives her a taste of her own medicine. She seriously needs it."

'Don't worry. It's bound to happen sooner or later.' I reassured her, threading my fingers through her soft hair.

"So four months, huh?" Bella chewed on her lower lip, gaze darting to my crotch again. "Damn it! That's_ sixteen _weeks of abstinence…you do realize that, right?"

'Yes. I know it's going to be hard to go that long without sex but…'

Bella's delightful giggles filled the room all of a sudden.

"You said _hard_!" She smirked, wiggling her eyebrows suggestively.

I rolled my eyes, hugging her giggling body to my chest.

'I'm going to miss your dirty mind, Bells.'

"And I'm going to miss your _crown jewels_, Prince Jacob." She quipped.

.

.

.

* * *

Saying goodbye to Bella was one of the hardest things I'd ever done.

She kissed me one last time, stuffing her sheer underwear in the pocket of my leather jacket.

"Think of it as a memento from last night." She told me on my way down the porch steps.

'Thanks. I will.'

I almost lost my footing when she flashed me her breasts with a smile on those sultry lips.

"Love you, stud-muffin!"

'L-l-ove you too.' I stuttered out right before I exited the front gates.

.

.

.

* * *

Hunter was waiting for me outside with a cigarette in his hand and a healing bruise on his left cheek.

'Good morning, your _Highness_.'

I purposely ignored his blatant sarcasm and got down to business.

'I need you to watch over Bella.'

'Of course.' He firmly nodded.

'This means no _women_, no distractions _and_ you keep your hands to yourself at all times, is that clear?'

'Yeah, crystal clear.' He replied.

'Any signs of the missing wolf yet?'

'Moira was able to locate her via Atlantis One. She's back in Oceanus.'

'Good.' I sighed in relief. 'Make sure Bella knows. I will get in touch with the two of you by tomorrow night at the latest.'

'Sure. I'll tell her.'

Hunter hesitated for the very first time in the history of our long and complicated friendship.

'So, are we cool now or do you need to sucker punch me again?'

'No. We're cool.' I grinned. 'For now…_but_ if you screw things up…'

'I won't.' He interjected. 'And thanks for giving me another chance to redeem myself. I won't let you down this time.'

'Well, let's shake on it then.'

.

.

'Is that a thong in your pocket?'


	23. Caribbean Christmas Cheer

**A/N: First of all, thanks so much for the alerts/reviews I keep on receiving for this story. I know it's been a while so I hope you enjoy this chapter.**

**Here's a recap to refresh your memory:  
**

**Queen Cora announces Jake's engagement to Ondine.  
**

**Jake and Bella finally sleep together.  
**

**Hunter gets a second chance at protecting Bella.  
**

**Pearl is back and she's about to do some snooping of her own. ;)  
**

* * *

Losing my virginity was kind of an eye-opener for me.

I felt more grownup than ever and being loved by Jake was unlike anything I've ever experienced.

He left a large handprint on my heart and it made me feel warm and fuzzy for the first time in a _really_ long time.

The broken bed was also evidence that he was here last night so I vowed not to fix it until he returns.

.

.

.

* * *

After indulging in a sweet, foamy bubble bath, I went downstairs to make breakfast.

My stomach was in the mood for bacon and eggs so I got to work with Pearl hovering over my shoulder.

Hunter showed up five minutes later, his duffel bag in tow.

He informed me that he was back on bodyguard duty so I let him in, my eyes glued to the nasty bruise on his left cheek.

'I need to take a look at your ring.' He requested.

"Okay." I slid it from my finger and gave it to him. "I'm making breakfast. Do you want some?"

He eyed the sizzling pan with caution, his moss-green irises studying the bacon with unveiled hunger.

'Sure.' He replied before turning around and dropping his duffel bag on the floor.

Once the eggs were cooked, I served them in an oval platter along with the bacon.

I saw Hunter sit at the kitchen table out of the corner of my eye.

He placed the rings side by side on the flat surface and activated his ring.

A virtual screen popped up in front of him, making Pearl giggle.

She floated up to me and whispered a string of intelligible words in my ear.

"Whoa. Slow down, little mermaid."

'Sorry.' She giggled again. 'Hunter is jealous of Prince Jacob.' She slowly divulged before covering her ruby lips with her tiny hands.

"What makes you say that?"

Her grey eyes twinkled with mischief.

'Caspian told me.'

"Who's Caspian?" I mouthed, shoving a forkful of eggs into my mouth.

'His merman.' She cheekily whispered, giggling some more.

"You mean he has a tiny little merman in there?" I nodded towards his silver ring.

'Yep.' She replied. 'But he's a bit shy.'

I couldn't help but laugh in response.

.

.

'Bella…'

"Yes?"

'I synced your ring with mine.' Hunter gruffly declared.

I joined him at the table and watched his pale fingers fly over the virtual keyboard.

His bruise was actually starting to fade along with his old _playful_ self.

He handed me back my ring and rose from his chair.

'I'll be staying in the guest room.' He grunted, picking up his bag and leaving the kitchen.

"What about breakfast?" I called after him.

'Later!' He replied, his velvet voice drifting down the hall.

.

.

.

* * *

The new, standoffish version of Hunter was awful.

He made it clear that we were no longer _friends_ like before.

Jake was probably responsible for both his bruise and his current demeanor.

Imagine if he'd actually kissed me!

My boyfriend would've probably murdered his best friend in cold blood.

I shivered at the thought and buttoned up my red Burberry jacket.

The weather was freezing and so were my hands for that matter.

I fished out my leather gloves from the dressing drawer and went downstairs.

Mr. Bodyguard was waiting for me in the foyer, his catlike eyes flirting with his own reflection in the mirror.

"I never pegged you for the vain type." I playfully teased, hoping to break the ice.

He looked up, his platinum blonde hair slipping down his forehead like a lush curtain.

'Ready to go?' He asked instead, keeping his voice as nonchalant as possible.

My gaze traveled further below his neck to check out his outfit.

He was definitely dressed to impress.

"Yep." I tossed him a mean glare while putting on my gloves.

.

.

.

* * *

Walking around campus with Hunter at my side was like waltzing through a ballroom in my birthday suit.

All eyes were on the intimidating blonde with the striking green irises.

He had somehow managed to acquire a fake student ID and my full course schedule.

My professors (especially Professor Linda) didn't even question his sudden presence in their classes.

January was too busy signing up for clubs and social events to comment on the situation so I was left all alone with Mr. Serious during lunch.

Hunter followed me like a shadow; a large, badass shadow with a confident swag and an appetite for chicken panini.

He devoured _three_ sandwiches in the blink of an eye.

"Do you want more?" I offered him my own tuna sub but he was already up on his feet.

He shrugged into his prussian blue coat while scanning the crowded cafeteria for the umpteenth time.

'Stay here. I'm going to go secure your next class.'

I rolled my eyes at his order while wiping the corner of my mouth with a napkin. "You're taking your job way too seriously."

'Keeping you safe is a _serious_ matter.' He shot back, looking slightly offended.

"Excuse you!" I glared up at him. "Nobody asked you to be less serious."

'You fucking implied it.' He hissed, tugging violently on the hem of his jacket.

"Why are you acting like such an asshole?" I snapped, tossing my napkin on the table.

'Don't take it too personally, firecracker.' He briskly replied before storming out of the cafeteria.

.

.

.

* * *

The rest of the week dragged by in the same pattern.

Hunter would 'secure' the campus and attend my classes then he'd take me home and retire to the guest bedroom.

I only saw him inside the house on occasion.

Jake was no better actually.

He was busy with his Royal duties so we only chatted a handful of times.

Cora was keeping him on a tight leash, much to my dismay.

Everything was _so_ messed up, and I didn't have anyone to talk to.

My best friend and I were slowly drifting apart. She was gradually adapting to college life while I was barely hanging on.

I tried to study for my midterms but all I could think about was my boyfriend.

Pearl did her best to cheer me up but I just surrendered to my loneliness…

.

.

.

* * *

"I don't wanna spend Christmas in Saint Barts, mother."

'Why not?'

I sighed in irritation, pouring more milk into my cereal bowl.

"I'm just not in the mood for Caribbean Christmas cheer."

'Honestly, Isabella. You're not in the mood for anything I suggest.' Juliana complained.

She wanted me to fly all the way to St. Barts so I could be the third wheel in her cougar romance.

No, _merci beaucoup_!

I'd rather stab myself in the eye.

"Is that all, mother? Because I have a ton of work to do."

'No. That is certainly not all.' She huffed into the phone. 'Your ticket has already been booked…'

"I said I'm not _going_!" I practically barked.

'Do not test my patience, Isabella.' My mom threatened in her icy tone. 'You're not spending the holidays alone and that's final.'

"Who said I'm going to spend them alone?" I scoffed.

'Because January's family is in Aspen.' She replied, effectively busting my alibi.

Shit.

"So?" I kicked the fridge door shut and ignored Hunter who was eying me curiously.

'Mrs. Yvonne told me she spotted a young man in our backyard. Is he the reason you want to stay home?'

Huh.

That could work.

"Y-yes." I answered, grabbing my bowl and leaving the kitchen.

Juliana was silent for a few seconds. Long enough for me to reach the living room.

I sat down and flipped through the TV channels.

'Maybe we can reach some sort of compromise.' She cleared her throat.

"No offense, mother, but you're not exactly known for your compromising spirit." I snorted.

'Touché.' She surprisingly chuckled. 'So how about you bring this boyfriend of yours to the Caribbean?'

Whoa. What?

"Is this your attempt at a joke? Cause it sure ain't funny."

'Of course not!' She replied. 'There's no harm in bringing somebody your own age to keep you company.'

"Umm…I'll think about it."

'Fair enough.' Juliana conceded. 'Give me your answer by Wednesday at the latest.'

"Okay."

.

.

.

'What was that about?' Hunter asked from the doorway.

I cocked my head to one side, frowning at his sudden interest in my phone conversation.

"My _pimp_ mother is offering you a first class ticket to Saint Barts."

He raised a golden eyebrow in response, the hint of a smile forming on his lips. 'Why would your mother invite me to tag along on your holiday?'

"Because my nosy neighbor told her you were my boyfriend!" I groaned, pinching the bridge of my nose in frustration.

'Huh. That woman is a piece of work. She won't stop eye-fucking me from her veranda.' He complained, running his long fingers through his lush hair.

"She's a cougar just like mommy dearest." I snickered. "And speaking of _Swan_ senior, she wants an answer by Wednesday, so..."

My voice trailed off, leaving Hunter to fill in the blanks.

'The answer is: fuck yeah!' He loudly exclaimed. 'I could use a dose of sun and sand.'

"But the beach is like, three blocks away!" I protested, dreading this whole Saint Barts idea.

'Says the hibernating firecracker.' He rolled his eyes at me.

"Oh I'm sorry. Were you expecting a beer bong- slash- freshman orgy extravaganza?"

'No.' He frowned. 'But you're eighteen. You should be out there…experimenting.'

"And you're twenty-four. You should know better than to try and kiss your best friend's girl." I shot back a bit meaner than intended.

Hunter froze like a deer in the headlights, his barbell tucked between his teeth.

If looks could kill then he would've definitely killed me.

'You're right. I should _know_ better, and now I do.'

.

.

.

* * *

The flight to Saint Barts was better than expected.

Hunter and I were still on shaky ground but seeing him all nervous onboard the airplane was very amusing.

My iPod proved to be the perfect distraction, and the fact that he had no idea who Lana Del Rey was opened the door for a brief conversation.

'She sounds weird.' He complained, scrolling through my Top 40 playlist.

"Good weird or bad weird? Cause most pop artists are heavy on the auto tune."

'Good, I guess.' He replied, turning his head to stare out the window. 'Are we there yet?'

"Nope. Still nervous?"

'What makes you think I'm nervous?' He raised an offended eyebrow, tapping his fingers on the iPod screen.

It was dark outside and most of the passengers were dozing off so I turned on the overhead spotlights and pointed them at his platinum head. "Your knee's bouncing all over the place."

He glanced down at his knee and the bouncing instantly stopped.

'I…uh drank too much coffee before take-off.'

"No kidding." I playfully nudged his arm.

His eyes darted to my fingers, then he suddenly handed me back my iPod, headphones and all. 'Wake me up when we get there.'

Huh?

What did I do?

.

.

.

* * *

We landed at Saint Martin shortly after midnight.

I was tired as hell but we still had to board the connecting flight to St. Barts.

Hunter huffed and puffed throughout the short flight.

The smaller aircraft barely accommodated his tall, broad shouldered frame so by the time we landed in Gustave Airport; he was dying for a good old stretch.

"I'll order you a massage tomorrow." I told him while we were waiting for our luggage.

He unzipped his suede jacket but didn't say anything in return.

The airport was basically empty so we breezed past passport control and found a driver waiting for us at the exit.

He drove us to Eden Rock Hotel which was one of the best resorts on the island. It was surrounded by coral reefs and white coral sand.

There was a note from my mother at the reception desk along with two identical keycards to the WaterLily suite.

_**Meet us tomorrow for breakfast at Sand Bar. Xx Juliana.**_

'Can I have the key to my room?' Hunter requested.

"Umm…it's actually a suite for the both of us."

I was _so_ going to kill my mother and eat her for breakfast!

'A suite?' He repeated, his tired eyes practically popping out of their sockets.

"Yep." I slung my tote bag over my shoulder. "Come on. Let's raid the mini-bar in retaliation."

.

.

.

* * *

The WaterLily suite was more like a palace.

It had an L-shaped terrace surrounded by a beautiful garden and a spa-pool overlooking the Caribbean sea.

The suite was _huge;_ with a king size bed, a separate bathroom, kitchen and a jacuzzi in the back.

My mother was clearly desperate for a grandchild.

'And I thought Jake was royalty.' Hunter remarked from beside me.

We were both standing outside on the wooden terrace.

The perfect weather was definitely worth the trip and so was the breathtaking scenery.

"Juliana Swan is a household name in most fashion circles. She's good at pulling strings and rubbing elbows with the rich and famous."

'You sound less than impressed.' He observed.

"Whatever." I shrugged. "It's not like she did this to impress me."

'You should be.'

"Meh. I got used to her extravagant lifestyle."

'_Extravagant_ is an understatement.' Hunter snorted, feasting his eyes on the luxurious terrace.

"Wait until you see what's in my suitcase."

.

.

.

* * *

"Do you wanna order room service?" I asked the hungry giant who was currently munching on a cherry Twizzler.

He glanced down at the wrist watch he bought at the duty free and shrugged in reply.

It was almost three in the morning so imagine my surprise when my ring started glowing all of a sudden.

"Pearl?" I pressed on the diamond heart and a virtual screen popped out instead.

'Hey, gorgeous. I didn't wake you, did I?'

"Jakey!"

My Prince's handsome face appeared on the screen along with a familiar pair of caramel eyes and grey fur.

"Princess! Oh my God. I'm so glad you found her."

The grey wolf barked in response, her tail wagging in excitement.

She did recognize me!

'I'll send her back once you return from your trip. How was your flight?'

"It was okay, I guess." I replied. "How about you? How's your engagement tour going?"

Jacob chuckled, his russet fingers stroking Princess's head. 'Ondine is quite the actress. She has my mother convinced that a summer wedding is far better than a winter ceremony.'

My heart almost stopped at the word 'wedding'.

"You never told me Cora wanted a wedding." I swallowed. "Why is she in a hurry? You just got engaged!"

'She wants us to set a date.' He hesitantly answered.

"Did you?"

My hand was shaking with apprehension.

'Not yet.' Jake scratched his chin, his onyx eyes avoiding mine.

"O-kay." I took a deep breath. "Can we talk about something else? Please?"

I heard Hunter snicker from behind me.

'Yes. Matter of fact, I called you because we were finally able to locate your father's yacht.'

My legs collided with the bed in shock. "A-and?"

'The wreckage was found in the Puerto Rico trench; the deepest part of the Atlantic Ocean.' He added.

"Are you sure it's the exact same yacht?"

He nodded.

'The submarine captured images of the boat's hull. Would you like to see them?'

"S-sure." I stammered, feeling nauseous all of a sudden.

The screen faded abruptly, then it flickered to life again with a slideshow of underwater images threatening to overwhelm me.

Grandpa always told me to keep the torch of hope alive, to never give up on my dad.

Everyone declared him dead but I refused to go to his funeral.

Seeing the wreckage with my own eyes was about to shatter this hope.

Jacob's deep voice pulled me out of my thoughts, forcing me to acknowledge what was on the screen.

'The boat is in good condition, but what's troubling me is its location.'

I examined the photos, one by one. The chipped red paint was indeed the same color as my dad's yacht.

"You mean it's not supposed to sink this deep?"

'Exactly.' He nodded. 'And what's even more disturbing is that there are traces of dark magic below deck.'

"_Magic_? Are you serious?"

'Science and magic are the foundation of our great nation.' Hunter interjected, sipping on the can of beer he found in the mini-fridge.

'There you are! I was starting to think Bella ditched you at the airport.'

'Ditching me would imply that she doesn't _want_ me here.' He smugly retorted.

'Funny you should say that, because your girlfriend is looking for you. She thinks you were banished from the Island.'

Hunter crushed the can with his hand, his emerald eyes shooting daggers at the screen.

'Which one?' He smirked, his alabaster skin glowing in the orange lights of the suite.

My gaze darted back to the slideshow in an effort to avoid the strange look in Hunter's eyes. His banter with Jake was making me a tad bit uncomfortable.

The last image had just appeared on the screen, and that's when I saw it...

Painted in a bright shade of yellow was my _name_ on the side of the boat.

_**Isabella…**_

"Oh God."

It really was Charlie's yacht.


	24. Meet the Fake Boyfriend

**A/N: Hunter fans assemble! :)  
**

**Caribbean chapter ahead with lots of revelations.  
**

******Rated M for language.**

* * *

Tears filled my eyes until my vision blurred and I could no longer breathe.

My fingers were desperate to get rid of the ring, those bright yellow letters still burning in my retina.

I slid it from my finger and tossed it on the bed, Hunter's concerned voice floating behind me as I fled the suite.

'Bella!'

Blinking away my tears, my eyes found solace in the clear blue water of the pool.

If Charlie was still alive, we would've gone for a late night swim.

If he was _alive_, I wouldn't be at the mercy of my mother, or Cora or anyone else for that matter.

I quickly shrugged out of my mocha cardigan and kicked off my sandals, desperate for a moment of privacy.

Hunter was hot on my heels though, his broad shoulders barreling through the double doors.

'What are you doing?' He asked.

I stripped out of my jeggings without sparing him a glance and jumped in the pool.

The cold water roared in my ears, and my entire body prickled from the sensation.

I could feel the salty tears sliding down my cheeks so I held my breath and waited for everything to sink in.

Charlie was dead.

Dark magic was real.

Jake might be getting married in a few months.

Maybe if I stayed underwater long enough, the whole world would disappear. Just for one night…

My eyes fluttered open, the lights beneath the pool making my skin look like bone.

I was so pale and _so_ tired…

A loud thundering noise sent water rushing to my ears as another body sliced through the calm pool.

Hunter dove beneath the water, his white shirt clinging to his motion tattoo.

I almost forgot that his muscled torso was inked.

His eyes were a dark shade of green as he swam towards me with the grace of a ballerina.

I kicked my legs in an effort to swim away from him but he snaked an arm around my waist and pulled me to the surface.

I pushed at his shoulders, silently begging him to let me go but he dragged me to the edge of the pool and pinned me there with his forearms.

'Hey. Hey…look at me.' He nudged my chin with his fingertips.

I wiped my tears with the back of my hand, hoping he wouldn't notice.

'Bella. You're not the only orphan in this joint.'

My eyes instantly snapped up to his face.

He was so close I could see the tiny little freckles on his cheeks.

'My parents died when I was a kid.' He divulged. 'They also mysteriously drowned while they were out celebrating their tenth anniversary.'

I swallowed the lump in my throat and saw my sadness mirrored in his eyes.

'I was angry at the world for a _long_ time…' He continued while staring out into the distance. 'And I acted out until my uncle got fed up with my fucked up behavior and kicked me out of his house.'

"What a jerk." I blurted out, my lips quivering from the cold.

'What goes around comes around, Bella. Karma will teach him a lesson someday.'

"I hope so."

Hunter's hands glided up my shoulders, squeezing my shivering arms along the way.

He was actually touching me!

'Come on. Let's get out of here before you turn into a big fat prune.' He playfully smirked.

"Haha." I rolled my eyes in response. "Welcome back, blondie."

He shook his head in amusement and hoisted himself out of the pool.

I watched his muscles flex beneath his wet porcelain skin and Lana Del Ray's song Blue Jeans popped into my head all of a sudden.

"Can I ask you a question?"

Hunter leaned forward and held out a hand for me. 'You just did.' He chuckled.

Wow. He really was in a good mood.

"Saint Barts is doing wonders to your -serious body guard- syndrome." I grabbed his hand, teeth chattering from the cold.

'Yeah.' He hoisted me up with little effort, his gaze lingering on my bare legs. 'So what is it that you wanted to ask me?'

"Umm…" I tugged on my soaked sweater. "Let me go get changed first."

He nodded, a tiny smirk forming on his sensuous lips.

.

.

.

* * *

I opened my suitcase and fished out something dry to wear.

I wasn't expecting to share a room with Hunter so my entire nightwear collection was basically camisoles and short shorts.

"Shit."

My fingers peeled off my bra and sweater, followed by my wet panties.

I was too tired to take a shower so I quickly got dressed, frowning at my scantily-clad reflection.

"Slut couture; brought to you by Juliana Swan."

The hotel's bathrobe was a blessing from above so I put it on and exited the bathroom.

"What time is it?"

Hunter was lounging on the bed, clad in a dry pair of sweats under a graffiti shirt that matched the color of his eyes.

'It's almost four o'clock.'

"Wow. We should get some sleep before breakfast."

'Yeah, we should.' He stifled a yawn. 'Don't wanna keep your mother waiting. She might get the wrong impression.'

"Ha! Don't worry. Swan senior pretty much thinks we're screwing each other's brains out." I snorted. "Hence this suite."

'Is this why you call her _pimp_ mother?' He sat up on his elbows, an amused smile dancing on his lips.

"Yep. She wants to get rid of me any way she can."

'Mmm…I'm not so sure about that.' He remarked.

"Well I _am_, and I'm telling you she wants me to get hitched as soon as possible, preferably to a rich dude who can afford my college tuition."

Hunter raised an eyebrow as he moved to sit up straight against the headboard.

His long legs dangled over the edge of the bed and I wondered if I should tell the concierge that Michael Jordan was staying in my suite.

Maybe they can find a jumbo mattress to accommodate his _err_…length.

'If she wanted you gone then she wouldn't have flown you all the way here to Saint Barts.' He said.

"Whatever." I shrugged. "She's probably itching to meet you. Mrs. Yvonne must've told her all about your _Über_ hotness."

'Come on. Your mom can't possibly be that shallow.' He argued.

"Wanna bet?"

His gaze dropped to my oversized robe. 'On what?'

"Ugh. Never mind." I waved my hand in dismissal. "You'll meet her gold-digging highness in a few hours."

Hunter looked like he was about to pass out from exhaustion so I decided to let him crash on the bed until we figure out a proper sleeping arrangement.

'Bella. You were supposed to ask me a question.' He reminded me with his tired voice.

"Oh. Right." I hesitated in front of the bed. "I just wanted to ask if you had a girlfriend? 'cause Jake mentioned earlier that you do, so…"

'Why? Do you want me to be your backup boyfriend in addition to being your _fake_ Christmas boyfriend?' He retorted, the hint of a scowl appearing on his lips.

"O-kay. You're clearly not in the zone right now, so I'm just gonna let you…"

'Sorry.' He apologized, cutting me off in the process. 'Sorry. I'm not myself these days…'

"It's ok." I padded barefoot to the left side of the bed and fluffed the pillows. "You probably need to get laid. God knows I do."

Oh shit.

Did I say that out loud?

'I appreciate the offer, firecracker.' Hunter smirked devilishly, reminding me of an evil character in a trilogy I once read in high school.

"Why do you keep calling me that?" I hit him with a pillow. "Seriously. You need to think of another nickname. Preferably a cute term of endearment fit for your fake girlfriend."

He chuckled and shielded his face with his hands. '_Somebody _wants me to impress their mother.' He teased in a sing-song voice.

"Fuck you, blondie." I climbed under the soft covers and aimed another pillow at his golden head.

'Hop on, Swan.' He wiggled his eyebrows suggestively.

"Jeez. You're on a roll tonight."

'My goal was to cheer you up so mission accomplished.' He settled against the headboard, tongue darting out to lick his lips. 'And to answer your girlfriend question…'

"Yes?"

'I don't.' He firmly replied. 'My training is my number one commitment and being the Prince's best friend has its perks, I admit, but most of the girls I dated had their eyes on _another_ prize.' He hinted.

"Jacob."

'Yep.' He nodded. 'They were either using me to get to Jake or fucking me because of my title.'

"So you're basically a hot commodity back in Oceanus."

'I'm _literally_ a hot commodity.' He sighed. 'The ratio of males to females is 1:20. Our birthrate is so low, women are desperate to get pregnant.'

"But I thought you were the cream of the crop! The most advanced civilization on earth has fertility problems? How is that even possible?" I gaped at him in shock.

He simply shrugged in reply. 'Who knows. Maybe we've been cursed by the Gods for being supremacist.'

"Hmmm…if that's the case then Cora is to blame."

'Cora's the tip of the iceberg.' Hunter yawned, his shoulders sinking further into the comfy mattress.

"Guess so…" I stifled a yawn of my own. "Shit. I'm exhausted."

'Join the club.'

He closed his eyes and the next thing I knew; he was snoring like a freight train.

.

.

.

* * *

The sunlight shining from the suite's glass walls woke me up at around ten o'clock in the morning.

I crawled out from under the covers and spotted Hunter sitting outside on the terrace. He was shirtless and barefoot, the warm rays of sunshine bouncing off his golden hair.

The phone on the nightstand started ringing all of a sudden so I answered it.

'Miss Isabella?'

"Yes?"

The friendly concierge informed me that mommy dearest was waiting for us in the lobby.

Oh joy!

I groaned and dragged my ass to the bathroom.

Ten minutes later, I was trying to decide between two summer dresses.

"So, what do you think? Should I go with butterfly print or tropical paradise?"

Hunter scratched his head. 'Uh…the butterfly one is nice.' He replied.

"Okay." I removed the turquoise dress from its hanger and disappeared into the bathroom.

'Bella…' His velvet voice floated from behind the door. 'Why do you want to impress Mrs. Swan? I thought you didn't give a shit about what she thinks.'

"I don't." I flatly answered while struggling with the zipper.

'Bullshit.' He snorted.

"Look. It's complicated."

'No. It's not.' He argued. 'Her opinion matters because she's your only family.'

"Puhlease. There's nothing _familial_ about my mother."

'But you love her nonetheless.'

His words were like a rush of blood to my head.

"Who died and made you Oprah?" I scoffed, refusing to admit that I _did_ care about Swan senior.

Hell. I wouldn't be here if I hated her guts.

'Who's Oprah?'

Hunter's eyes were the color of the water outside our suite.

The view was even more breathtaking during the day.

I ignored his silly question and dabbed more concealer under my eyes.

'What are you doing?' He curiously asked while buttoning up his beige shirt.

"Applying my secret weapon."

'Make-up?' He chuckled in amusement.

"Yep." I tossed the liquid bottle on the bed and grabbed his hand. "Nice khaki pants by the way. Thank God you're stylish 'cause Hawaiian shirts are a deal breaker."

Hunter ducked his head as we exited the suite.

He was basically taller than the door.

'So if we were in a real relationship, and I happen to have a thing for floral shirts…'

"I would've given you an ultimatum; either me or the shirts."

'Mmm…I'd definitely go for the shirts.' He smirked. 'There's plenty of Swans in the sea.'

"Really? Where?" I pretended to look around, making him laugh.

.

.

.

* * *

Hunter and I exchanged amused glances when we spotted Jean Paul wearing the ugliest Hawaiian shirt on the planet.

He was tanned to the bone and so was my mother who looked remarkably different in a white summer dress.

Her platinum hair was au naturale without a hint of a blow-dryer and she looked radiant and healthy.

'Cheese and crackers!' Hunter gasped a little overdramatically. 'Is this the notorious Swan senior?'

I wrapped a hand around his waist and widened my smile until it reached full capacity. "Yep."

Juliana's chocolate eyes roamed appreciatively over Hunter's NBA player frame.

I could easily tell that she was super impressed, especially when she opened her arms and called me _Bella_ instead of Isabella.

Color me shocked!

We exchanged hugs and air kisses then I properly introduced her to my fake boyfriend/bodyguard.

'It's a pleasure to finally meet you.' She raised a perfectly plucked eyebrow, glancing briefly in my direction as if to say: well done.

Jean Paul was equally pleased to see me again and he even gave me two thumbs up behind Hunter's back.

.

.

* * *

We ended up having brunch instead of breakfast; a blend of French and Creole cuisine.

Hunter and I shared a popular appetizer called _accras_ which was basically deep fried codfish fritters.

Mom surprisingly ordered actual food instead of her trademark caprese salad.

She asked us both about college and embarrassed the hell out me by interrogating Hunter while we waited for our food.

'You have a bit of an accent. I can't quite put my finger on it. Are you originally from Sweden?'

'Iceland, actually.' He replied, draping a hand over the back of my seat.

'Oh how wonderful.' Juliana smiled. 'Your ancestors must be Viking then.'

"His ancestors were definitely powerful…and huge." I chimed in.

'Iceland iz beootifool. I've been there once.' Jean Paul remarked with a nod of his head.

The waiter finally returned with my Creole platter, mom's duck breast, Hunter's steak and Jean Paul's grilled mahi-mahi.

I sensed Juliana's eyes on me when Hunter offered me a piece of his juicy steak.

He wanted to try the West Indian sausage so we traded plates.

'Isabella. Why don't you tell Hunter about your literary ambitions?' She wiped the corner of her mouth with a napkin. 'Perhaps he could change your mind about becoming a writer.'

'Will all due respect, Mrs. Swan…'

'Please call me Juliana.' She interjected.

'With all due respect, _Juliana_.' Hunter repeated her name with a sexy drawl. 'I think Bella's more than capable of choosing her own path.'

'Becoming a successful writer does not happen overnight and frankly, I think she's better off working in fashion. She has quite the eye for detail, this one.' She nodded in my direction.

'Maybe she can _write_ about fashion.' He suggested.

"Actually. That's not such a bad idea."

I took a cooling sip from my soda glass and tried to read my mother's facial expression.

She looked rather pleased by Hunter's suggestion.

.

.

.

* * *

After brunch, we headed down to the beach where they rented out snorkeling and diving gear.

Jean Paul wanted to go snorkeling so Juliana complied, taking off her dress to reveal one of her leopard print bikinis.

'How old did you say she was?' Hunter asked while staring at my fifty year-old mother.

"Why? You interested?"

He sat down on one of the empty lounging chairs and cocked his head to one side, his sea-green eyes twinkling mischievously. 'MILFs are my specialty.'

"Eeeew. Are you freakin serious?"

'What do you think?' He wiggled his eyebrows suggestively.

"I think we should get you laid ASAP before you start hitting on Swan senior."

'Relax.' He chuckled. "I'm not interested in Mrs. Swan."

"Phew." I pretended to wipe imaginary sweat from my brow. "You almost gave me a heart attack."

The sound of seagulls and gentle waves filled my ears as I struggled to decipher the look in his catlike eyes.

'Can I ask you a hypothetical question?' He requested in a more serious tone.

"Sure."

'If you had met me _first_. If Jacob was out of the picture, hypothetically speaking of course. Would you have fallen in love with me?'

"Umm…is this some kind of trick question?"

'Nope. No trick here. I simply want an honest answer.'

"Hunter. I…"

'Isabella!'

My mother, God bless her, chose the perfect time to interrupt.

'Come join us.' She waved me over, holding up two pairs of underwater goggles.

"Umm…I need to go change." I told her before putting on my best apologetic face and rushing to our suite.

.

.

.

* * *

I spent the whole afternoon submerged underwater, studying the colorful coral reefs and swimming among the Caribbean fishes.

Hunter's question lingered on my mind even though I tried to ignore it.

My saving grace and distraction turned out to be my mother.

We surprisingly bonded over snorkeling.

She was just a different person around Jean Paul; a lot more fun and less uptight…

We swan together and chased after a school of rainbow fish.

Hunter was lounging on a beach chair when we finally resurfaced.

He had changed into a pair of navy blue swimming trunks, his eyes hidden behind his aviator shades.

I adjusted my bikini straps and waded my way to the shore.

'Anyone in the mood for dessert?' Mom offered, squeezing water out of her hair.

"Let me go ask Hunter."

'Isabella.' She joined me on the soft sand and placed a toned arm around my shoulders. 'Are you in love with him?'

Jesus. Where did that come from?

"Umm…no. I mean, not yet." I stammered. "Are you in _love _with JP?"

She hesitated for a few seconds, but I already knew the answer.

It was written all over her lovey-dovey face.

'You might call me a hypocrite for saying this, but yes…I do have feelings for Jean Paul.'

"Wow. Who are you and what have you done to Juliana Swan?"

She laughed.

She actually _laughed_.

'Come live in France with me.' She squeezed my shoulder affectionately. 'You can study literature in the Sorbonne, and help me launch my summer collection…'

"Whoa." I froze mid-step, digging my toes in the sand. "Whatever happened to _literature is nonsense_, Isabella? And Swans don't fall in love…blah blah blah, _Isabella_."

She narrowed her eyes at me but didn't say anything. She merely sighed and fell into step beside Jean Paul who was toying with his camera.

I folded my arms across my chest and stormed away, plopping down on the chair next to Hunter.

'Hey.'

"Hey." I grunted. "You wanna get out of here?"

.

.

.

* * *

We ended up hitching a ride to Gustavia, the capital of Saint Barts where we ate lemon tart and crème brulee in one of the city's mellow cafes.

Afterwards, we checked out the docks and the island's cozy library.

Juliana was expecting us for dinner so we grudgingly returned to the hotel two hours later.

.

.

'She wants what's best for you.' Hunter gave me his two cents while I was digging through my suitcase for my purple halter-neck dress.

"Maybe, but she can't just expect me to drop everything and follow her to Paris."

'Why not?'

"Because…Washington is my home." I huffed in irritation. "Now if you'll excuse me. I have a dress to squeeze into."

.

.

.

* * *

Dinner was surprisingly less awkward than I expected.

Hunter dropped one joke after the other, making us laugh our asses off.

Jean Paul found him very entertaining.

We were basically surrounded by Caribbean Christmas cheer so I enjoyed my fried shrimp and calamari and listened to JP's hilarious French-English accent.

Swan senior even ordered a bottle of white wine halfway through dinner and made a toast.

'To new beginnings!' She smiled, raising her glass.

'Cheers.' Hunter grinned, looking dapper in his black Gucci shirt.

I rolled my eyes and drank straight out of my Evian bottle.

'Isabella. Drink from your own glass.' Juliana chided me.

"Oh I'm sorry. Do my table manners offend you, mother?"

Our eyes met over the table, the exact same shade of chocolate brown.

'No.' She coolly replied. 'I was simply pointing out that you have other options.'

"Let me guess. France?"

She suddenly reached over the table and placed her hand over mine. 'Promise me you'll think about it.'

"Fine. I will."

The tender expression on her face freaked me out big time so I excused myself from the table.

.

.

* * *

Hunter followed me to the outdoor cocktail bar and sat down across from me on one of the bamboo chairs.

'Can I buy you a drink? Maybe something with an umbrella in it?'

"Nah. I'm good."

Upbeat Caribbean music floated from the speakers, reminding me of Timon and Pumba for some weird reason.

I started giggling out of nowhere and that's when he grabbed my hands and led me to the empty dance-floor.

"What are you doing?"

'What does it look like I'm doing?' His green eyes twinkled under the spotlights and he suddenly twirled me around like we were on Dancing with the Stars.

The beat shifted to a slower tempo so he held me close to his chest and swayed us both to the gentle music.

"You're really good at his." I remarked, smiling up at his handsome face.

'So I've been told.'

My gaze drifted to my fingers and that's when I realized that my ring was missing.

I had completely forgotten about it!

"Shit. I lost my ring."

'No you didn't. You left it back at the suite.'

"What if Jake called? I have to go get it."

Hunter nodded and let go of my waist.

'Thanks for the dance.'

.

.

.

* * *

He escorted me back to the suite and waited on the terrace while I searched the room for my ring.

A loud thud suddenly resounded from outside, making me jump to my feet.

"Hunter?"

.

.

.

"Oh my God!"

I found him writhing on the wooden floor, his face twisted in pain.

'B-b-bella…'

I fell to my knees and cupped his pale cheeks. "Hunter! What's wrong?!"

He was wheezing, almost like he couldn't breathe.

"Oh God. Oh God. I should call a doctor."

'No!' He grabbed my wrist to stop me from getting up. 'Y-y-ou must t-take me h-home.'

"Home? But how?" I asked him in panic. "Is there a portal near here?"

'Y-yes.' He shuddered. 'Check my ring.'

I frantically reached for his ring and pressed on the blue stone in the center.

"Caspian. Show me the nearest portal."

A tiny merman materialized out of thin air along with a map with Haiti highlighted in red.

"Haiti?"

'Yes, Miss Bella.' The blonde merman turned to look at his owner and his tiny features instantly drowned in sadness.

"Do you know what's wrong with him?"

'You need to take him home.' He shyly answered.

"And what happens if I don't?"

'Then I'm afraid Master Hunter will die.'


	25. Into the Unknown

**A/N: Thanks so much for your reviews and alerts. Real life is always interfering with my writing/updates. **

**Some readers were concerned about Hunter. Is he still alive? Read on to find out.**

**Rated M for language.**

* * *

"Hunter."

'Mmmm?'

"Just…stay with me, alright?" I cupped his ashen face and forced him to open his heavy lidded eyes.

He drifted in and out of consciousness during the short flight to Haiti but his vital signs were stable so far.

'Where are we?' He croaked.

"We just landed in Port–au-Prince Airport." I told him, brushing his blonde hair away from his clammy forehead.

He was fading right before my eyes, his ethereal glow slowly dying out like the flickering flames of a candle.

After his initial collapse earlier at St. Barts, he managed to recover long enough for us to grab a taxi to the airport and board the plane in peace.

'Don't be afraid.' His large hand squeezed mine reassuringly.

I swallowed the lump in my throat and took a deep breath, hoping it would be enough to calm me down. "Caspian said you have less than an hour before your body starts shutting down. If we don't get to the portal in time…"

'We will.' He assured me.

The plane finally halted to a complete stop so I quickly unbuckled his seatbelt and helped him up.

"Come on. Let's get you home."

.

.

.

* * *

The Caribbean Sea was dark and foreboding, reminding me that Hunter's life was literally in my hands.

I dragged his heavy body down the beach, my muscles aching from his extra weight. Pearl and Caspian led the way with their fairy-like light, their tiny faces etched with concern.

The portal was located inside a hidden cave surrounded by palm trees. It was both cold and creepy. When we finally reached the entrance, I crouched down and checked Hunter's pulse to make sure he was still alive.

My hands were shaking like a leaf and my throat felt dry as a desert.

I was _so_ scared.

'The ring, Miss Bella.' Caspian said in an urgent voice.

"Right. The ring."

I quickly removed Hunter's silver ring from his finger and crawled to the back of the cave.

'You need to activate the portal.' Pearl instructed, showing me where to insert the ring.

I shakily placed it inside the small, circular indentation and watched it glow brighter and brighter until the wall disappeared.

'Miss Bella. You have to cross over to the other side now!' Caspian shouted over the violent gust of wind that invaded the cave.

Adrenaline surged through my limbs, making me ten times stronger and giving me the courage I needed to grab Hunter and venture into the unknown.

.

.

.

* * *

Cerulean blue water and pearly white sand greeted us on the other side.

I shielded my eyes from the midday sun and tried to breathe in…and out…

My heart was racing so fast, especially when I turned around and saw the island in all its Atlantis glory.

"Holy Muffin!"

Rows of olive and pine trees formed a three tier cake with identical buildings in between. They were all similar in size with dome-shaped roofs and arched balconies.

The row closest to the beach housed the largest building of them all. It was castle-like in structure with stone walls, observation towers and an iron gate so high, it dwarfed the people guarding it.

Pearl suddenly floated up to my face and snapped me out of my Twilight Zone trance. 'They're coming!' She shouted in my ear before disappearing along with a nervous looking Caspian.

"What the…"

A blur of white fur tackled me to the ground before I could even blink.

It was heavy, warm and ridiculously familiar.

"A-alpha?"

The Siberian husky barked in reply and licked the side of my face with his friendly tongue.

"I missed you too, buddy."

Tears flooded my eyes while I petted his head, wishing Jake would find me, and fast. The portal was no longer open and I was stuck here with Hunter who was still unconscious.

Unfortunately, my wish never came true because moments later, we were captured by Cora's guards.

.

.

.

* * *

The castle was breathtaking, distracting me momentarily from my tightly bound hands. It was an architectural marvel with mirror-like floors and opal walls.

Bronze statues of Poseidon and Aphrodite adorned the arched hallways. They looked scary real and so did the sea creatures that were carved into the massive double doors.

The brawny guard standing to my right reached out and placed the pad of his thumb on what looked like a fingerprint recognition screen.

The silver doors swung open, revealing an oval room with a shimmering statue in the distance. Said statue was seated on a throne encrusted with pearls and precious stones.

I was violently pushed towards the center of the room and forced to kneel down in front of the terrifyingly familiar statue.

'Your Highness.' Guards number 1 and 2 bowed their iron-clad heads in respect. 'This is the human who exited the portal.'

It took me a second to realize that Queen Cora was the _statue_.

She was wearing an arctic blue dress with tiny little diamonds woven into the silky fabric. Her golden skin and obsidian eyes made her look eerily similar to the bronze sculptures in the hallway.

I was _this_ close to losing my cool when the other two guards dumped Hunter's body unceremoniously onto the floor next to me.

'Leave us.' Cora adjusted her sapphire diadem and dismissed the four gigantic asses.

I shifted uncomfortably on my knees and glanced worriedly at Hunter.

"He needs a doctor." My panicked voice reverberated around the ocean-blue room.

The waves painted on the walls shifted every few seconds, reminding me that this was no ordinary castle, and neither was Cora.

She glided down the aquamarine steps, her silver satin shoes clicking loudly against the smooth, mirror-like surface.

'Foolish child…' Her long raven hair tumbled down her graceful shoulders when she leaned forward and touched a hand to Hunter's clammy forehead. 'His parents are rolling in their graves because of you.'

My heart thudded loudly inside my ribcage as I watched her circle his body like a cunning lioness.

'What was he thinking, pursuing a trollop like you?' She muttered disapprovingly.

I gritted my teeth and managed to hold back the flood of insults threatening to burst out of my mouth.

'Get up.' She ordered, fixing me with a cold, calculating stare.

I swallowed my pride and used the balls of my feet to hoist myself up and off the cold floor.

My knees protested the sudden movement and I staggered backwards, my back colliding with the column behind me.

'Good girl.' She stepped closer, a sinister smile dancing on her full lips. 'Would you like me to untie you?'

Her tone was suspiciously gentle so I decided to play along and remain as polite as possible. "Yes, please."

_Ugh…I can't believe I just said that._

She lifted an amused eyebrow and motioned for me to turn around. 'Whoring aside, you are nothing like your mother. She would have never risked her own life to save Hunter.'

I looked down at the blonde Knight who promised to protect me and vowed to protect him as well. "Is he going to be okay?"

'Yes.' She confidently replied. 'Our kind can barely survive a month outside the island, let alone a few weeks. He will regain consciousness in an hour, maybe two.'

It took me a moment to digest her words.

'Jacob's generation think it's a myth, but it is not.' Cora added. 'And this is exactly why I warned you to sever ties with my son.' She coolly explained. 'But you saved me the trouble by cheating on him with his best friend.'

My wrists were finally free so I turned around and shook my head in protest. "Now wait a minute…"

'He still loves you, you know.' She interjected with a disgusted frown. 'His atrocious grandmother poisoned his mind with _destiny_ and prophecies, making him think that you are some kind of blessing from the Gods.' She snorted distastefully.

"Are you done insulting me?" I rubbed my sore wrists, trying to mask the pain. "Because you've got nothing to worry about. Jake's engaged to Ondine, Hunter's back where he belongs and I'm clearly not a blessing from the Gods, so there!"

Exhausted tears clouded my eyes.

I hated myself for losing my shit like that, but it was bound to happen, especially after what I'd witnessed earlier in St. Barts.

Hunter almost died because of me.

My world almost killed him.

'Human teenagers are so emotional.' Cora remarked airily. 'Dry your tears, young lady. I have a tempting proposition for you.' She gave me a thin, monogrammed handkerchief before guiding me towards a translucent door in the back.

It slid open to reveal a long corridor with intricately carved walls and a ceiling decorated with ancient Egyptian hieroglyphics.

'My ancestors coexisted with humans for many years before they built this very island. They witnessed the rise and fall of many empires. Wars, bloodshed, destruction…they experienced it all firsthand so they decided to shield themselves from mankind.'

Cora glided past me, her mermaid dress trailing behind her like liquid silk.

'This shield is what makes us both imperceptible and impenetrable. Therefore, our air is much cleaner and our water supply is fresh and abundant.' She resumed her history lesson as we ventured further down the corridor.

'Needless to say, establishing a new Kingdom required a set of rules and regulations. Atlanteans were banned from engaging with humans. Those who did were given the death penalty, but nowadays we make certain…_exceptions_.'

She rounded a corner and I followed, feeling lightheaded now that my adrenaline was gone.

'When Ocean fell in love with your mother, he was instantly condemned to an early death.' Cora turned her raven head to look at me. 'I was devastated, so…' She swallowed, her ice-cold expression melting all of a sudden. 'So I took matters into my own hands and abducted your father.'

_Abducted your father…_

_**Abducted your father…**_

I froze in shock, her words still ringing in my ear.

Another door slid open, but my legs were rooted to the floor, unable to follow her anywhere.

'He is still alive, Isabella.' She divulged. 'Would you like to see him?'

My heart thudded loudly in my chest, drowning out her question.

"Ss-still alive?" I stammered.

Cora nodded and pulled me inside a small, glass elevator. The lights flickered to life once the door closed behind us.

'Underwater dungeon!' She spoke in a clear, loud voice.

I held my breath and felt the elevator move below our feet. It was definitely headed downwards.

"He's in a dungeon?!" I glared daggers at the woman standing before me. "All this time I thought he was dead…DEAD! And now you're telling me that he's alive?"

She swallowed and looked away. 'Avenging my brother was my one and only goal.'

"Let me get this straight. You kidnapped Charlie so you'd get back at my mother? She didn't even love HIM!"

'Yes. I am well-aware of that now.' She gruffly admitted.

The elevator slowed down to a stop, giving me a glimpse of the coral reefs in the distance. They were packed with rainbow fish and other bizarre sea creatures.

I clenched my hands into fists and followed her past the glass doorway. "He'd better be in pristine condition."

'You have my word.' She reassured me.

.

.

.

* * *

The underwater dungeon was guarded by two of Cora's asses. They were wearing their trademark Poseidon shields and armored with pointy silver tridents.

'Your Majesty.' They both bowed for their evil Queen and opened a set of double doors that led to Charlie's prison cell.

Anticipation seeped into my body, making me walk faster. I was eager to see my dad after ten years of absence.

Cora motioned for me to stand in front of a beautiful topaz wall. The angles and grooves in the wall reflected the crystal blue water above us and helped sooth my nerves.

'Uncloak the walls!' She ordered in a loud, authoritative voice.

I held my breath and watched the wall disappear; unveiling a rectangular room with a small bed in one corner, a TV in the other and a leather couch with a familiar figure lounging on its comfy-looking cushions.

"Oh my God…"

My voice trembled along with my clenched hands.

Charlie was sitting there with a book in his lap. He had his reading glasses on and seemed to be engrossed in whatever it is that he was reading.

Aside from his salt and pepper hair, he looked healthy and not as old as I thought he'd be.

"Can he see me?" I asked Cora who was observing my dad with a somber expression on her face.

'No.' She replied. 'And I would like to keep it that way until we discuss our proposition.'

I pressed my palms flat against the invisible wall and nodded my consent.

"Okay."

Cora stood beside me and stared out into the distance. 'I have kept your father hidden all these years knowing he would become a bargaining chip someday.'

"Bargain away then." I reached up and toyed nervously with the locket around my neck. "Let him go and I'll do _anything_ you ask of me."

She hummed in reply and reached for the necklace as well. 'Atlantean gold. The cream of the crop. May I see it?'

I unclasped the golden chain and blindly gave it to her, my gaze still locked on Charlie. He was leafing through his book, looking right at home in his large cell.

'To my beautiful Swan…' Cora read the inscription written inside the locket. 'Happy birthday. Lots of love. Jake.' She sighed and closed the diamond halves. 'You need to return this to my son and tell him to move on.' She instructed.

"He already did." I lied. "I umm…only wear his gift as a memento."

Cora folded her arms across her chest and shot me a patronizing look from under her thick lashes. 'Do you take me for a fool, Isabella?' She chided me. 'We both know that my son is besotted with you even though he is engaged to Ondine.'

I swallowed the lump in my throat and saw my dad get up from the couch and stretch his arms over his head. "If I return the necklace and…break Jake's heart, will you release Charlie and let us leave the island in one piece?"

'I will gladly release your father on one condition: my son gets married _first_.' She stated. 'Once the wedding is over, my guards will escort him to Washington and erase his current imprisonment from his memory.'

"You really are a monster." I seethed, clutching the locket to my bleeding heart.

'All is fair when it comes to family, Isabella.' Cora shrugged nonchalantly.

"Says the woman who robbed me of my own dad for TEN fucking years!"

Queen ice-bitch suddenly leaned forward and looked me dead in the eye in a pure act of intimidation. 'Don't sass me, little girl. I have been exceptionally civil to you, so do _not_ push your luck.'

She stared me down for a few seconds until I had no choice but to cave in and accept her deal.

"Fine. Give me one hour and then I'll send for Jake."

Her features instantly relaxed and an actual smile graced her full lips. 'Nonsense, dear. You must get some rest first.' She insisted.

"I'm not tired." I stubbornly said, even though I was practically dead on my feet.

Cora activated her garnet ring and ordered her guards to carry Hunter to his quarters. 'Would you like to stay with him until he rises from his slumber?'

"Yes."

The Queen barked out another set of orders at her raven-haired mermaid and motioned for me to follow her back to the elevator.

'This stays between us, Isabella.' She informed me. 'If my son ever finds out that your father is still alive and that _this_ was all a ploy to free him, Charlie's severed head will be delivered to you on a silver platter. Am I clear?'

"Crystal." I nodded.

.

.

.

* * *

Sobbing uncontrollably on the floor…

That's how Hunter found me two hours later. He practically flew off the bed and crouched down beside me, his velvet voice frantic with worry.

'Bella! What's wrong?' He asked in concern. 'Are you injured?! Did those fuckers hurt you?'

"No…" I sniffled.

'Tell me what happened!' He demanded, gently shaking my shoulders.

"I…I can't be with Jake anymore."


	26. Heartbreak in Paris

**A/N: I've wanted to update this story since April but I've got so much stuff on my plate right now. Thanks for the reviews/alerts.****  
**

**Enjoy the chapter. :)**

**Previously on A Girl's Guide to Forbidden Romance:**

_'Tell me what happened!' He demanded, gently shaking my shoulders._

_"I…I can't be with Jake anymore."_

* * *

**Suggested Listening**

Keren Ann- For You & I

A Fine Frenzy- Swan Song

Lene Marlin- Playing My Game

* * *

Hunter tried to calm me down but all I could think of was my dad.

I had to let go of Jake in exchange for his freedom.

Shit.

There was no way out of this deal! It had to be done or I risk losing Charlie forever.

A fresh batch of tears flooded my eyes.

I was exhausted and borderline hysterical.

'Do _not_ let Cora get to you.' Hunter cupped my tear-stained cheeks in his gentle hands.

His calm, wind chime voice was extremely soothing.

I was going to miss it so damn much.

"Easier said than done." I muttered under my breath. "Your bodyguard days are over, so you can stop worrying about me and start worrying about yourself. You could have died tonight!"

'That was a risk I was willing to take.' He replied, stroking my cheek with his thumb. 'Thank you for saving my life by the way. I owe you one.'

"You don't owe me anything." I shook my head and removed his hands from my face. "But thanks to you, I now know that Jacob can easily die if he spends more than a few weeks in my world."

'Is this why you wanna break up with him?' His sea-green eyes searched mine for a few seconds. He looked incredibly suspicious and baffled by my behavior. 'Or did Cora threaten to hurt you while I was passed out cold?'

I bit my lower lip to stop myself from blurting out the truth.

If Hunter found out that Charlie was alive, Cora won't hesitate to kill him.

That woman was an evil psychopath and her moral compass was beyond repair.

"Cora's not the problem here." I lied. "You are."

Confusion flickered in his catlike eyes. 'Me?'

"Y-yes. _You_." I swallowed the lump in my throat and forced myself to lie some more. "Watching you die was so not fun and it made me realize that-that I have feelings for you."

His eyes widened in shock.

'You have feelings for _him_?' A deep voice asked from behind me.

I spun around to find Jacob standing in the doorway, hurt and betrayal flashing across his face.

"Y-yes." I croaked. "But it doesn't matter. Nothing matters because we can never be together. I don't belong here, not with you and definitely _not_ with him."

'My grandmother seems to think otherwise.' Jake argued, crossing the length of the room in three angry strides.

"Yeah well, your grandma can go to hell." I hurriedly unclasped the golden chain from around my neck and let it drop on the carpet between us. "I'm done with this so-called relationship."

Jacob swallowed, his Adam's apple bobbing up and down as he crouched down to pick up the discarded necklace. 'There's no need for you to throw childish tantrums, Bella.'

Hunter suddenly grabbed my arm and forced me to look at him. Suspicion was written all over his elfin face.

'What the fuck is wrong with you?' He hissed.

"I'm sick of waiting for you two to stand up to Cora!" I barked, yanking my arm free. "And I'm tired of living like this. I've alienated my best friend and kept your secret long enough. It's time to move on."

Jacob stood up, looking dismayed by my outburst. 'Alright.' He nodded solemnly. 'If that's what you really want then by all means, move on.'

"I will."

'Excellent.' He muttered sarcastically. 'There's no need for you to be angry anymore. '

"Yes I do. I have every right to be angry. Wanna know why? Because you, Jacob Black, are a coward. Mommy Dearest is running the show while you smile and nod like a puppet."

'Is this how you see me, Bella?' He clenched his hands into fists, the wounded look in his eyes slicing a knife through my heart.

I was causing irreparable damage with my words.

"Y-yes." I croaked, hot tears flooding my eyes.

_No_.

'You're lying.' Hunter said from beside me. 'Jacob…'

Jake held up a hand and ordered him to shut up.

His wounded expression was replaced by a hard mask as I watched him activate his ring and summon the guards stationed outside Hunter's house.

'Escort her to the portal.' He ordered them without sparing me a second glance.

The two guards marched over to me and stood on either side while Hunter witnessed the whole thing with disapproving eyes.

"Jake…"

'Goodbye, Isabella.'

His cold eyes briefly met mine before he stormed out of the house.

I choked back a sob and let the guards escort me to the beach where Cora was waiting for me.

Surprise. Surprise.

She looked extremely pleased; the cat that ate the canary.

I wanted to punch her smug face so hard.

'Congratulations.' She clapped her hands together. 'Your father will be delivered to you in six months.'

"I-I want proof that he's still alive." I demanded, trying to keep my tears at bay.

She glided over to me and activated my ring with a flick of her dainty wrist.

A small screen popped up showing Charlie pacing the length of his prison cell.

'This live feed camera will be on at all times. You can check up on your father whenever you like.'

My heart ached for my dad who looked so fragile and alone in his underwater prison.

How did she keep his imprisonment a secret for so long? How?

"If anything happens to him..."

'I already gave you my word, child. Now leave before I change my mind.' She drew invisible patterns in the air and a portal suddenly appeared out of nowhere.

"Goodbye, Jake." I whispered, barely keeping it together.

_Oh God. What have I done?_

_._

_._

_._

* * *

The portal ended up taking me back to St. Barts instead of Haiti.

I was sobbing my eyes out by the time I reached the hotel where my mother was freaking out in the lobby. Mascara was running down her face and JP was trying to calm her down but failing miserably.

'My daughter is gone!' She cried. 'They took her away from me.'

'Shhh…do not worry. I'm sure zey will find her.'

"M-mom?"

They both looked up the second they heard my voice.

'Isabella!'

My distressed mother ran towards me and took me in her arms. 'Oh Isabella!' She stroked my hair affectionately then cupped my face in her trembling hands. 'Where have you been? I've been worried sick about you!'

"I…I was down by the beach." I lied, wrapping my arms around her waist.

Her Channel No.5 perfume soothed my nerves as I buried my face in her shoulder and cried for Charlie, Jake and Hunter.

I was going to miss them so damn much.

'You scared me half to death.' Juliana chided me, her tone strangely tender and surprisingly motherly. 'You've been gone for five hours. I-I thought…" She closed her eyes and held me closer to her chest.

She never finished her sentence. She just hugged me until Jean Paul suggested we go up to their suite where I fell asleep the second I placed my head on her pillow.

.

.

.

* * *

**Seven weeks later…**

_Paris, France_

Giving up the love of my life in order to save Charlie destroyed me emotionally.

I decided to move to France and forget about my life in Washington for a while.

My mother was very pleased by my decision and promised me more mother-daughter time.

Everything happened so quickly and efficiently thanks to her impeccable planning. We basically packed all of our necessities and moved to the City of Light two weeks after Christmas.

Hunter tried to contact me after that fateful day in Oceanus but I chose to ignore him.

Pearl tried to mention Jacob on more than one occasion, but every time she did, I would take off my ring and threaten to flush it down the toilet.

That mermaid was as stubborn as a mule.

She loved Paris though, especially the Eiffel Tower where I spent the majority of my first week admiring the city from above. I also mourned my short-lived happiness and cried a lot.

My secrets were eating away at me and there was no way I could share them with anyone.

Poor grandpa, his secrets killed him. The same secrets I've been keeping for so long.

If he were still alive, we would've confided in each other.

He would have carried some of my burden.

He would've believed me.

.

.

* * *

I glanced around the busy ballroom, a flute of champagne in my hand.

My mother was showcasing her latest jewelry line and the necklace I wore was the centerpiece.

Tiny Swarovski crystals glittered in the chandelier lights as I stood there in my elegant ivory gown, pretending to be happy for Juliana's sake.

Our relationship had improved dramatically over the past few weeks. We even went shopping for fabrics for her upcoming Spring/Summer collection. It was the perfect distraction, allowing me to concentrate on something other than my heartbreak.

Mom was under the impression that I had broken up with Hunter so she created a fashion diversion followed by visits to the Louvre Museum, the Notre Dame Cathedral and a sunset boat ride along the Seine River.

It was fun listening to her adventures in Paris, including her first internship at Chanel during her early twenties. She spoke with so much passion and nostalgia, unlike her cold Washington self.

It was obvious that she was in love with France, and Jean Paul of course. He was surprisingly decent and easy to talk to.

When he found out about my (fake) breakup with Hunter, he offered to hunt him down and teach him a lesson. It was sweet really.

A sudden flash of platinum blonde hair pulled me out of my thoughts.

I blinked and it was gone.

'Isabella, are you alright?' My mom asked in concern. 'You look like you've seen a ghost.'

"I-I…just need some fresh air is all." I replied before excusing myself and leaving the crowded ballroom.

My reflection shimmered in the French windows that led to the beautiful rose garden outside the hotel. I lifted my dress slightly off the marble floor and pushed the door open with one hand. The glass was cool against my palm and so was the Parisian weather. It was winter after all and my numb heart welcomed the chill in the air.

The Eiffel tower sparkled in the distance as I ventured into the quiet garden. It was such a romantic setting and it almost unraveled me, so I turned around and closed my eyes.

_Don't cry. What's done is done. There's no going back._

'Open your eyes, Princess.' A soft, melodic voice startled me and I almost tripped over the tail of my dress if not for a pair of strong arms. Arms that were attached to broad shoulders wrapped in leather and a head of silky sunlight hair.

Hunter's emerald green eyes were staring back at me from beneath a curtain of thick golden lashes.

I blinked, thinking he was a product of my imagination.

He had to be. No one knew where I was. Not even Pearl. Unless that little bitch was playing dumb and happened to be in touch with Caspian.

"H-hunter…" I stuttered. "H-how did you find me?"

He grasped my elbows in his large hands and led me to a nearby bench. 'Pearl mentioned seeing the Eiffel tower so I hacked into your ring and extracted your location. Imagine my surprise when I discovered that you were living it up in France.' He gave me a pointed look before letting go of my elbows.

I sat down and studied the soft satiny fabric of my gown. It was floor-length with a small delicate bow below the bust adorned with lace trimming. "Does it look like I'm living it up? Aside from the dress I mean."

He sighed and sat down beside me, his dark jeans grazing my evening dress. 'Yeah you do.' He replied. 'You look beautiful. Miserable but beautiful.'

Guilt flooded my heart and I felt overwhelmed by all the emotions his presence invoked in me.

"Why are you here?" I got up from the bench and folded my arms across my chest.

The cold temperature was making it hard to breath or maybe I was on the verge of a panic attack. My heart was beating incredibly fast and the garden felt too small and constricting all of a sudden.

'Easy question. I'm here because I was fucking worried about you.' He answered in an agitated tone. 'Your precious ring has been blocking my calls, your house in Washington is empty and the folks at Washington University said you've deferred for one semester. Oh and you told me you had feelings for me and walked away. That was the biggest _fuck you_ I've ever had the pleasure of receiving.'

There it was, that same wounded look I saw in Jake's eyes when I lied to him over and over…

"What did you want me to do? Huh?" My hands fell to my sides and my voice was trembling beneath the burden of my lies. I wanted to scream the truth, shout it out at the top of my lungs.

I wanted to tell him everything but my deal with Cora was holding me back.

'Nothing. You've already done plenty.' Hunter rose angrily from the bench and grabbed me around the waist. 'You broke my best friend's heart and now he's plotting Cora's demise.'

"Good for him." I returned his angry glare, the heat from his arm scorching the skin on my lower back.

He tightened his hold on me and brought me closer to his chest. 'What are you hiding, Bella?'

"Nothing." I lied, swallowing the lump in my throat.

His catlike eyes regarded me seriously for a moment before I looked away in fear of what he might find in mine.

'Kiss me.' He requested out of the blue.

Oh God…

My entire body froze up like an ice sculpture.

I was so not expecting him to come all the way here and ask me to kiss him!

Gentle fingers stroked my right cheek, forcing me to acknowledge said request.

"I-I…"

'One kiss. No strings attached.' His bargained, tempting me with his sexy tongue ring.

"Fine, but you have to promise not to come looking for me again."

'Okay.' He said, gazing down at me expectantly.

I lifted my right hand and placed it on top of his maroon jacket.

_Well, this is awkward._

'Should I bend forward?' Hunter suggested.

"Ummm…sure."

His left hand joined the one wrapped around my waist while my eyes remained glued to the ring on my finger. The blue diamond was sparkling beautifully beneath the moonlight.

'Bella. Look at me.'

I ignored Hunter's request and focused harder on the ring.

Memories flashed through my mind of my first time with Jake and his soulful eyes were suddenly staring back at me.

_'I love you, honey.' _

_'I think I fell in love with you when I was twelve years old.'_

_'You were my very first love, Bells, and hopefully my last.' He kissed my hand, his lips scorching my skin._

"I-I…I can't do this!" I flinched, removing my hand from Hunter's jacket and pressing it to my chest. "I can't kiss you."

'I know.' He calmly said with a knowing smirk on his lips. 'You have zero feelings for me. Zilch.'

My eyes widened at his words but I already knew he figured it out.

"Yes. I lied."

'And why exactly did you lie?' His catlike eyes searched my face for the umpteenth time. 'What is Cora holding over your head?' He prodded.

"Hunter…" I tried to escape his penetrating gaze but he wouldn't let me. "Please don't tell Jake. He has to move on." I sobbed. "He _needs_ to get married."

'You want the love of your life to marry someone else? Yeah right.' He snorted. 'Jacob is currently looking into your father's disappearance. He won't stop until he finds out what really happened to him.'

I stiffened at the mention of Charlie.

If Jake found out about the underwater dungeon, things could get ugly and fast.

"No! Tell him to stop looking." I grabbed Hunter's shoulders and started shaking him. "Please Hunter, if you truly care about him, tell him to stop."

He trapped my hands beneath his own, his eyes brimming with concern. 'Bella, you're scaring me.'

"You should be scared!"

My warning was loud enough for him to release me.

'Fine.' Hunter took a hesitant step backwards followed by another. He was staring at me like I was crazy.

'I'll deliver the message.' He added in a pacifying tone.

"Good." I wrapped my arms around myself, the cold finally reaching my bones.

Hunter noticed and shrugged out of his jacket before draping it over my shoulders. 'Stay warm, Princess. I'll be back for that jacket soon.'

"But…you promised you'd stay away." I protested.

'No.' He raised a blonde eyebrow in response. 'You didn't kiss me, remember?'

He pecked me on the forehead and then he left, his boots barely making a sound as he disappeared into the darkness.


End file.
